The Best of Ttown (Tuscaloosa)

<p>Thought we should make a list of where the best things are. They don’t have to be food items, they can be anything.</p>

<p>And there can be more than one source.</p>

<p>And you can list an entree or entrees from a particular restaurant.</p>

<p>Best burgers: Mugshots…amazing buns (many burgers are very good, but the peanut burger is surprisingly good as well!). 5 Guys</p>

<p>Best BBQ: We love Full Moon and Hoo’s Q BBQ.</p>

<p>Best Pizza: Broadway Pizza (the Manhattan is very good!), Hungry Howies, Mellow Mushroom, Bob’s Victory Grill</p>

<p>Best Steaks</p>

<p>Best Seafood</p>

<p>Best Wings: Zaxby’s, Checkers! ( a surprise!!)</p>

<p>Best French Fries: 5 Guys and McDonalds</p>

<p>Best chicken tenders: Cheddars and Chick Fil A</p>

<p>Best place for Bama Gear: Alumni Hall, JC Penneys</p>

<p>Cheap but good margaritas: Cheddars (the sangria margarita!!), El Rincon’s happy hour…many flavors!</p>

<p>Best hotels:</p>

<p>Best Dry Cleaners:</p>

<p>Best nail salon:</p>

<p>Best men’s haircuts:</p>

<p>Best women’s haircuts:</p>

<p>Copy/paste the above…AND ADD YOUR OWN so that each new post is the new master list!</p>

<p>Best burgers: Mugshots…amazing buns (many burgers are very good, but the peanut burger is surprisingly good as well!). 5 Guys, Rama Jama</p>

<p>Best BBQ: We love Full Moon and Hoo’s Q BBQ.</p>

<p>Best Pizza: Broadway Pizza (the Manhattan is very good!), Hungry Howies, Mellow Mushroom, Bob’s Victory Grill</p>

<p>Best Steaks</p>

<p>Best Seafood</p>

<p>Best Italian:</p>

<p>Best Mexican:</p>

<p>Best Chinese: Mr Chen’s, Lai Lai (the mongolian beef and mongolian chix is fab!), Swen is pretty good.</p>

<p>Best Japanese: Bento Japanese ( the Bento Chicken is very good, the sushi is very good, too)</p>

<p>Best Breakfast: Rama Jama, Another Broken Egg Cafe (but their hash browns need improving!).</p>

<p>Best Eggs Benedict: Another Broken Egg Cafe</p>

<p>Best Asian/Chinese store: Mr Chens, </p>

<p>Best Wings: Zaxby’s, Checkers! ( a surprise!!)</p>

<p>Best French Fries: 5 Guys and McDonalds</p>

<p>Best chicken tenders: Cheddars and Chick Fil A</p>

<p>Best place for Bama Gear: Alumni Hall, JC Penneys</p>

<p>Cheap but good margaritas: Cheddars (the sangria margarita!!), El Rincon’s happy hour…many flavors!</p>

<p>Best hotels:</p>

<p>Best Dry Cleaners:</p>

<p>Best nail salon:</p>

<p>Best men’s haircuts:</p>

<p>Best women’s haircuts:</p>

<p>Best Florist:</p>

<p>Best Bakery:</p>

<p>Best place to look for condo short-term rentals (for visits): VRBO.com Tuscaloosa</p>

<p>Best burgers: Mugshots…amazing buns (many burgers are very good, but the peanut burger is surprisingly good as well!). 5 Guys, Rama Jama</p>

<p>Best BBQ: We love Full Moon and Hoo’s Q BBQ.</p>

<p>Best Pizza: Broadway Pizza (the Manhattan is very good!), Hungry Howies, Mellow Mushroom, Bob’s Victory Grill</p>

<p>Best Steaks</p>

<p>Best Seafood</p>

<p>Best Italian: DePalma’s (don’t know any other Italian restaurants here…strange!)</p>

<p>Best Mexican: Los Tarascos, Pepitos, El Rincon</p>

<p>Best Chinese: Mr Chen’s, Lai Lai (the mongolian beef and mongolian chix is fab!), Swen is pretty good.</p>

<p>Best Japanese: Bento Japanese ( the Bento Chicken is very good, the sushi is very good, too)</p>

<p>Best Breakfast: Rama Jama, Another Broken Egg Cafe (but their hash browns need improving!).</p>

<p>Best Eggs Benedict: Another Broken Egg Cafe</p>

<p>Best Asian/Chinese store: Mr Chen’s,</p>

<p>Best Wings: Zaxby’s, Checkers! ( a surprise!!)</p>

<p>Best French Fries: 5 Guys and McDonalds</p>

<p>Best chicken tenders: Cheddars and Chick Fil A</p>

<p>Best place for Bama Gear: Alumni Hall, JC Penneys</p>

<p>Cheap but good margaritas: Cheddars (the sangria margarita!!), El Rincon’s happy hour…many flavors!</p>

<p>Best Dry Cleaners:</p>

<p>Best nail salon:</p>

<p>Best men’s haircuts:</p>

<p>Best women’s haircuts:</p>

<p>Best Florist:</p>

<p>Best Bakery:</p>

<p>Best place to look for condo short-term rentals (for visits): VRBO.com Tuscaloosa</p>

<p>Best hotels:</p>

<p>ALSO…places that are open 24 hours…or have very late hours</p>

<p>Open 24 hours:</p>

<p>Walmart
McDonalds on 15th St.
IHOP on Skyland
McDonalds on corner of McFarland and Lurleen Wallace - Northport
CVS on corner of McFarland and 15th St.</p>

<p>Very late hours:
Taco Bell on 15th St</p>

<p>===============</p>

<p>Also…doctors available 7 days a week</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.medcenterurgentcare.com”>http://www.medcenterurgentcare.com</a></p>

<p>two locations<br>
Med Center North<br>
Monday - Saturday:
9 a.m. - 7 p.m.</p>

<p>Sunday:
1 p.m. - 7 p.m.</p>

<p>Closed:
Easter Sunday, 4th of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Years Day</p>

<p>and Med Center South (by Lowes) * NOTE the longer Saturday and Sunday hours!
has the best hours
Monday - Saturday:
9 a.m. - 10 p.m.</p>

<p>Sunday:
1 p.m. - 10 p.m.</p>

<p>Closed:
Easter Sunday, 4th of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Years Day</p>

<p>Best burgers: Mugshots…amazing buns (many burgers are very good, but the peanut burger is surprisingly good as well!). 5 Guys, Rama Jama</p>

<p>Best BBQ: We love Full Moon and Hoo’s Q BBQ.</p>

<p>Best Pizza: Broadway Pizza (the Manhattan is very good!), Hungry Howies, Mellow Mushroom, Bob’s Victory Grill</p>

<p>Best Steaks</p>

<p>Best Seafood: Chuck’s Fish (but is pricey)</p>

<p>Best Italian: DePalma’s (don’t know any other Italian restaurants here…strange!)</p>

<p>Best Mexican: Los Tarascos, Pepitos, El Rincon</p>

<p>Best Chinese: Mr Chen’s, Lai Lai (the mongolian beef and mongolian chix is fab!), Swen is pretty good.</p>

<p>Best Japanese: Bento Japanese ( the Bento Chicken is very good, the sushi is very good, too)</p>

<p>Best Breakfast: Rama Jama, Another Broken Egg Cafe (but their hash browns need improving!).</p>

<p>Best Eggs Benedict: Another Broken Egg Cafe</p>

<p>Best Asian/Chinese store: Mr Chen’s,</p>

<p>Best Wings: Zaxby’s, Checkers! ( a surprise!!)</p>

<p>Best French Fries: 5 Guys and McDonalds</p>

<p>Best chicken tenders: Cheddars and Chick Fil A</p>

<p>Best place for Bama Gear: Alumni Hall, JC Penneys</p>

<p>Cheap but good margaritas: Cheddars (the sangria margarita!!), El Rincon’s happy hour…many flavors!</p>

<p>Best Dry Cleaners:</p>

<p>Best nail salon:</p>

<p>Best men’s haircuts:</p>

<p>Best women’s haircuts:</p>

<p>Best Florist:</p>

<p>Best Bakery:</p>

<p>Best place to look for condo short-term rentals (for visits): VRBO.com Tuscaloosa</p>

<p>Best hotels:</p>

<p>ALSO…places that are open 24 hours…or have very late hours</p>

<p>Open 24 hours:</p>

<p>Walmart
McDonalds on 15th St.
IHOP on Skyland
McDonalds on corner of McFarland and Lurleen Wallace - Northport
CVS on corner of McFarland and 15th St.</p>

<p>Very late hours:
Taco Bell on 15th St</p>

<p>===============</p>

<p>Also…doctors available 7 days a week</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.medcenterurgentcare.com”>http://www.medcenterurgentcare.com</a></p>

<p>two locations
Med Center North
Monday - Saturday:
9 a.m. - 7 p.m.</p>

<p>Sunday:
1 p.m. - 7 p.m.</p>

<p>Closed:
Easter Sunday, 4th of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Years Day</p>

<p>and Med Center South (by Lowes) * NOTE the longer Saturday and Sunday hours!
has the best hours
Monday - Saturday:
9 a.m. - 10 p.m.</p>

<p>Sunday:
1 p.m. - 10 p.m.</p>

<p>Closed:
Easter Sunday, 4th of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Years Day</p>

<p>BBQ Ribs: Dreamland, either Northport or the original on Jug Factory Road. We like Northport because its big and bright and you can take big group. And the banana pudding - OMG!!!
BBQ: Archibald’s is an ancient institution. Looks like a dump. You have to get it to go, or eat at a picnic table there - no inside seating (maybe the 3- or 4-stool counter is still there).</p>

<p>Italian: there is an Olive Garden, if that’s you’re thing.</p>

<p>Meat 'n 3: City Cafe in Northport. Lunch only, Monday through Friday.</p>

<p>TexMex: No TexMex available east of the Louisiana-Mississippi state line. There is a Chuy’s in Birmingham. Never been there.</p>

<p>Best burgers and fries: a tie between The Oasis in Cottondale (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-oasis-cottondale/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-oasis-cottondale/&lt;/a&gt;) and Hooligan’s on University Blvd downtown (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/hooligans-american-and-mediterranean-restaurant-tuscaloosa-3/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/hooligans-american-and-mediterranean-restaurant-tuscaloosa-3/&lt;/a&gt;)</p>

<p>Best BBQ: The Pottery Grill in Cottondale (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-pottery-grill-cottondale/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-pottery-grill-cottondale/&lt;/a&gt;) or Northport (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/pottery-grill-the-northport/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/pottery-grill-the-northport/&lt;/a&gt;) Runner up: Archibald and Woodrow’s (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/archibald-and-woodrows-barbeque-tuscaloosa/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/archibald-and-woodrows-barbeque-tuscaloosa/&lt;/a&gt;) Chain alternative: Jim 'N Nick’s</p>

<p>Best Pizza: a tie between Little Italy (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/little-italy-tuscaloosa/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/little-italy-tuscaloosa/&lt;/a&gt;) or Tut’s (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/tuts-place-tuscaloosa/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/tuts-place-tuscaloosa/&lt;/a&gt;) </p>

<p>Best Steaks: Nick’s in the Sticks! (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/nicks-original-filet-house-tuscaloosa/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/nicks-original-filet-house-tuscaloosa/&lt;/a&gt;)</p>

<p>Best Fine Dining: a tie between Kozy’s (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/kozys-fine-dining-tuscaloosa/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/kozys-fine-dining-tuscaloosa/&lt;/a&gt;) or Evangeline’s (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/evangelines-tuscaloosa/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/evangelines-tuscaloosa/&lt;/a&gt;)</p>

<p>Best Farm-to-Table: a tie between Epiphany Cafe (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/epiphany-cafe-tuscaloosa/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/epiphany-cafe-tuscaloosa/&lt;/a&gt;) or Evangeline’s</p>

<p>Best Seafood: Chuck’s Fish (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/chucks-fish-tuscaloosa/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/chucks-fish-tuscaloosa/&lt;/a&gt;) for sushi and non-fried seafood or Shrimp Basket (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/shrimp-basket-tuscaloosa/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/shrimp-basket-tuscaloosa/&lt;/a&gt;) for fried seafood</p>

<p>Best Wings: Baumhower’s (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/baumhowers-tuscaloosa/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/baumhowers-tuscaloosa/&lt;/a&gt;) Chain alternative: Buffalo Wild Wings </p>

<p>Best Chinese: Swen in Tuscaloosa (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/swen-chinese-restaurant-llc-tuscaloosa/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/swen-chinese-restaurant-llc-tuscaloosa/&lt;/a&gt;) or Northport (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/swen-chinese-restaurant-northport”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/swen-chinese-restaurant-northport&lt;/a&gt;)</p>

<p>Best Japanese: Ichiban (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/ichiban-japanese-grill-tuscaloosa/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/ichiban-japanese-grill-tuscaloosa/&lt;/a&gt;)</p>

<p>Best Thai: Ruan Thai (<a href=“Directions - Ruan Thai - CLOSED - Tuscaloosa, AL - AL”>http://www.yelp.com/map/ruan-thai-tuscaloosa/&lt;/a&gt;)</p>

<p>Best Breakfast: Waysider (<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/waysider-restaurant-tuscaloosa/”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/waysider-restaurant-tuscaloosa/&lt;/a&gt;)</p>

<p>Best Seafood: I’m a fan of Wintzell’s - it’s chain, but far better than any chains we have in the landlocked midwest. I was disappointed their old location on the river closed. I saw they were supposed to be open in a new location this summer, but now their website says winter. </p>

<p>Best Pizza: I’ll give a second vote to Mellow Mushroom - son ordered some pizzas with some very atypical ingredients that I definitely wouldn’t have chosen, but they were surprisingly good</p>

<p>Best Chinese: We always stop at Swen when I’m in town - you get a lot of food for your money so it’s great for student budgets</p>

<p>Best Mexican - not in Alabama! :)</p>

<p>jrcsmom While I agree that the best Mexican food may not be in Alabama, Los Tarascos and Pepitos do a good job. </p>

<p>I think the best Mexican food in the US is in Riverside Calif.</p>

<p>We are headed to Tuscaloosa on September 7th and plan to be there early enough to watch the Saints vs Falcons game at noon. We are looking for a place with plenty of televisions to watch the game. Any recommendations?</p>

<p>^^ Buffalo Wild Wings</p>

<p>Bob’s Victory Grill</p>

<p>There is a Pottery Grill that is closer than Cottondale. You take Lurleen Wallace over the river and it is next to CVS (cross streets Lurleen Wallace and McFarland…in Northport). </p>

<p>Thank you both.</p>

<p>I was going to copy and paste this information into the list but it now seems as if there are several lists. I will put my information here and leave that fun job to others better at that than I. :)</p>

<p>Best Chinese Food and Asian Grocery:
<a href=“http://www.mrchenstuscaloosa.com/”>404: This page could not be found;
I highly recommend all the soups and the shrimp in black bean sauce dish. They also have many types of Bubble Tea, not to mention the many asian staples in their grocery section.</p>

<p>Best German Bakery:
<a href=“http://edelweisstuscaloosa.wix.com/edelweiss”>http://edelweisstuscaloosa.wix.com/edelweiss&lt;/a&gt;
This is both a coffee shop and a bakery. Try some yummy baked goods and their light food options. You can also purchase imported German food products here.
I have ordered Birthday Cakes which are both delicious and made to order. You will have to pick up, they do not deliver. Note: cakes and pastries are not as sweet as their American counterparts.</p>

<p>Best BBQ: For my money it is Full Moon:
<a href=“http://www.fullmoonbbq.com/full-moon-menu.php?menu=location-tuscaloosa”>http://www.fullmoonbbq.com/full-moon-menu.php?menu=location-tuscaloosa&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Best Bike Shop: Velocity:
<a href=“http://velocityprocycle.com/”>404;
Great service!!</p>

<p>Best Museum: The Alabama Museum of Natural History:
<a href=“http://amnh.ua.edu/”>http://amnh.ua.edu/&lt;/a&gt;
This museum is on campus.</p>

<p>Best Breakfast or Meat and Three:
City Cafe, 408 Main Ave., Northport, AL 35476. 205-758-9171 Operation Schedule: Mon.-Fri., 4 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Great if you are an “Early Bird”, try the biscuits which are terrific, or the pancakes…both are light and fluffy.</p>

<p>Best Pizza: DePalma’s
<a href=“http://www.depalmasdowntown.com/”>http://www.depalmasdowntown.com/&lt;/a&gt;
Get takeout pizza here, closest to New York style pizza near campus, The large is 18 inches and a full eight slices.</p>

<p>Broadway Pizzzeria: wood fired oven New York style.
Broadway Pizzeria
2880 Rice Mine Rd NE
Tuscaloosa, AL 35406
(205) 391-6969
You will need a car to get there.</p>

<p>Lowest Gas Prices: Sam’s Club
I have found the gas prices to be consistently lower here, but you do need a membership.</p>

<p>Cleanest/Largest Super Target:
1901 13th Ave E, Tuscaloosa, AL 35404
(205) 462-1064
I was here a few days before the start of the semester. This Target was fully stocked and immaculate.</p>

<p>Best Dry Cleaners: Penny Profit
508 15th St, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
(205) 752-0510
Note: Must pay at drop off</p>

<p>Best Indian Restaurant: Sitar
<a href=“http://www.sitartuscaloosa.com/”>http://www.sitartuscaloosa.com/&lt;/a&gt;
Highly recommend the bread and the Chai Tea</p>

<p>While not traditional Mexican, I will put in a plug for Taco Mamas, new near downtown on University. Excellent chips and salsa, and very inventive tacos/burritoes with many available options for toppings and additions. Very reasonably priced.</p>

<p>^^
Thanks for the Taco Mama mention. Went there yesterday to pick up nachos for the game. Really a good bargain. You choose your meat, and all the topping choices are free…including guacamole and queso. I got two which was plenty…truly a dinner in itself.</p>

<p><a href=“http://tacomamaonline.com/TacoMamaMenu-Tuscaloosa.pdf”>http://tacomamaonline.com/TacoMamaMenu-Tuscaloosa.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>However, parking is limited so either park across the street (to the right of the restaurant), on the street, or snag a very limited space in front. </p>

<p>The restaurant is located almost across the street from the new Fed building…a great spot for business.</p>