We Asked. You Answered. Annual Reader's Poll Winners!

Our Readers’ Poll was conducted through Survey Monkey and was open for voting from February 19 until March 1. The survey was promoted via social media and email. Voters were allowed one vote per device. The top five winners for each category are listing except for Realtors.

*All reviews provided through yelp

BEST BURGER

Jack Brown’s 17%

Great burgers, beer and atmosphere. Amazing staff. Location is perfect for getting out and about downtown Birmingham. Love it!!! -SHEA

Chez FonFon 13%
SAW’s 5%
Five Guys 5%
Otey’s 4%

BEST BREAKFAST

Big Bad Breakfast 16%

Absolutely recommend this excellent breakfast spot. Very good food and excellent service! -BRENT

Over Easy 9%
Waffle House 6%
Ruby Sunshine 5%
Another Broken Egg 5%

BEST PIZZA

Slice 20%

The food is delicious. They have the most delectable bacon and cheese LARGE tater tots that we order each time. We tried the NEW Pizitz pizza... So good. -JENNIFER

Davenport’s 17%
Post Office Pies 8%
Pizzeria GM 7%
Dave’s Pizza 4%

BEST INTERNATIONAL CUISINE

Surin 12%

DELICIOUS! The soups are delicious. The sauces are delicious. You just can’t go wrong. The only thing I haven’t tried on the menu is sushi. The crab Rangoon is so delicious. The broccoli is cooked to perfection. -VALERIE

Taj India 11%
Red Pearl 5%
Bay Leaf 5%
Makario’s 4%

BEST BAKERY

Edgar’s 23%

This place has no competition in my opinion. Simply the best of everything. The absolute best shortbread cookies imaginable. -Mialo

Continental Bakery 17%
Bandit 10%
Savage’s 9%
Olexa’s 5%

BEST STEAK

Perry’s 26%

Just going to Perry’s makes whatever the occasion, something special. Do not go without getting the wedge salad after your appetizer, and before your steak. Although my husband always orders the porkchop, I can’t resist the ribeye cooked Pittsburgh style. It’s worth the splurge. -JULIE

Fleming’s 18%
Ruth’s Chris 13%
Highlands 4%
Bricktop’s 4%

BEST SUSHI

Bamboo 19%

By far the coolest Asian atmosphere for a restaurant! Service was excellent and food was phenom-nom-nomenal! There are so many options for food and drink, so definitely ask your server for their fave if you can’t decide! -LAUREN

Surin 17%
Jinsei 16%
Abhi 11%
Sushi Village 6%

BEST FINE DINING

Highlands Bar & Grill 26%

There’s a reason why it just won the James Beard Award. As good as anywhere else in the country. And I think it has the best bar in town. There’s nothing like sitting at the bar drinking champagne and eating oysters. -JOHN

Bottega 12%
Gianmarco’s 9%
Chez FonFon 6%
Perry’s Steakhouse 6%

BEST SEAFOOD

Automatic 33%

My absolute favorite seafood in Birmingham. Highly recommend the octopus and grilled oysters to start. The blackened mahi and broccoli were our favorites for the main course. Great service all around and we can’t wait to go back. -ALEX

Ocean 20%
Fish Market 8%
Chuck’s Fish 5%
Hot and Hot 5%

BEST CATERER

Table & Thyme 16%

An elevated catering experience! -EMILY

Happy Catering 15%
Savoie 11%
Kathy G 8%
Full Moon 4%

BEST BEACH

30A 41%
Gulf Shores/Orange Beach 27%
Destin 15%
Panama City Beach 5%
Pensacola Beach 3%

BEST WEEKEND GETAWAY

Nashville 12%
Gulf Shores/Orange Beach 9%
Chattanooga 8%
30A 7%
Atlanta 7%

BEST MARGARITA

Taco Mama 24%

Get the kids or meet your friends. There’s nothing quite like drinking Taco Mama’s margaritas on beautiful day, or a bad day for that matter! They’re great! -EMMA

El Barrio 15%
Cocina Superior 7%
Sol y Luna 7%
Little Donkey 4%

BEST BAR

The Atomic Lounge 11%

It’s the retro atmosphere. It’s the costumes. It’s the signature cocktails. It’s the bubbles. This is a great after-work spot, but I love it more late-night when it’s packed. Always worth stopping by before you call it a night. -WENDY

Otey’s 10%
Carrigan’s 9%
Collins 8%
Queen’s Park 7%

BEST PLACE TO BUY BEER

Hop City 28%

Wow is all I can say!! Selection is best in Birmingham area easy! Staff friendly and attentive. Taps galore from sweet to stout. Even lots to buy and carry out. Cool little gem in Bham that most locals know and hope others see this and come visit. If craft beer is your thing you are missing out if you don’t!! -CHAD

Piggly Wiggly 21%
Publix 3%
Diplomat Deli 3%
Trim Tab 3%

BEST PLACE TO BUY WINE

Piggly Wiggly 27%

The Pig in Crestline always has someone on staff who really knows their stuff. When you’re serious about wine, these are the people to see. They also have unique relationships with wineries and can get deals other people in town can’t. And because it’s The Pig, if you need to quickly grab a bottle on the way home they move you through the check-out super fast. -SCOTTY

Hop City 9%
Trader Joe’s 8%
Golden Age 5%
Whole Foods 4%

BEST PATIO

Bottega Café 10%

Always a great place. Even in the heat,the outside is a good call. -ERIC

Back Forty 7%
Chez FonFon 4%
Carrigan’s 4%
Avondale Brewery 4%

BEST CASINO

Beau Rivage 24%

The Beau Rivage is a beautiful, well run machine! I’ve been going there since it opened / reopened and over the years The Beau hasn’t lost a single bit of its charm! From checkin to the time you checkout the staff in the Casino, Restaurants, Shops and Pool / Spa will make sure you enjoy your stay! Everyone that works at The Beau seems proud to be there & they should be! To me, it’s the best run Hotel Casino in the US!. -GEORGE

Wind Creek 15%
Pearl River 10%
Harrah’s Biloxi 6%
The Grand Biloxi 4%

BEST WORKOUT

Orange Theory 24%

It’s a workout that kicks your butt...and every other part of your body...but also somehow makes you want to come back for more! The workouts are well-planned, challenging, and diverse. The trainers are motivating, knowledgeable, and spirited. -KRISTEN

True40 10%
Three15 8%
M Power 8%
Ignite 7%

BEST DERMATOLOGIST

Renew 26%

I could not have found a better place to take care of my dermatology needs. Kelly is amazing and so is her staff. It’s always a personable experience as soon as you walk through the door. Renew Dermatology will always have my business. -FAREN

Village Dermatology 25%
Total Skin & Beauty 7%
Inverness 5%
Skin Wellness 5%

BEST PLASTIC SURGEON

Plastic Surgery Specialists 20%

I met with Dr. Jack for my first consultation on July 3. He told me I was a perfect candidate for a panniculectomy. He and his office staff completed all of the paperwork for insurance and submitted it. I was approved in about a month. I had my surgery in August and cried happy tears after seeing my results. Dr. Jack and his staff are all very friendly and will make even the shyest person feel comfortable throughout the whole process. I could not have asked for a better experience. I highly recommend Dr. Jack. I will definitely use him for any of my future needs. -MARSHA

Daniel E. Rousso, M.D. 15%
Dr. Melanie Petro 14%
Grotting & Cohn 9%
Hedden & Gunn 5%

BEST HOME DECOR

At Home 19%

At Home Furnishings is easily one of those stores I can just explore for hours and hours on end and not get bored. It’s not just a custom made furniture store; their home decor selection is just as competitive. - LUCY

Home Goods 8%
Stock & Trade 4%
Hobby Lobby 2%
White House Interiors 2%

BEST GIFT SHOP

Alabama Goods 9%

This is my new favorite store! The ladies that work in there are so kind and helpful. After finding out that I moved here 3 months ago, they were just so delightfully welcoming! It made me proud to call Alabama my new home! And don’t get me started on the amount of fun Alabama mementos! Everything you could think of and very reasonably priced. -ROY

Wrapsody 7%
A’mano 6%
Shoppe 6%
At Home 6%

BEST JEWELER

Bromberg’s 23%

Bromberg’s does it all, and they do it well. Next time you’re shopping, or even browsing, definitely stop in. You should be impressed by not only the products, but by the people and the overall pleasantness of the environment. -SCOTT

Levy’s 21%
Diamond’s Direct 13%
Avani Rupa 9%
Steed’s 5%

BEST SALON

The Collective 13%

Best. Salon. Ever. I get my hair cut by Stephanie, but am convinced that all of these women are amazing. The atmosphere is calming and everyone is so friendly. To top it off, they use some of the best hair products on the market. -JESSICA

Gary Anthony Salon 9%
Forecast 8%
Salon U 6%
Wheelhouse 5%

BEST SPA

Ross Bridge 24%

The staff is warm and friendly. They always take their time to do the best job possible. My nails, toes, and eyebrows are the happiest they have ever been. I could not rate this place high enough! -LILY

La Bella 12%
The Retreat Day Spa 11%
Escape 11%
Smart Skin Med Spa 6%

BEST BANK

Regions 30%
Iberia 10%
BBVA 7%
Robertson 7%
Progress Bank 6%

BEST GENTLEMAN’S CLOTHIER

Shaia’s 30%

Shaia’s is beautiful store. I think of it as the Bergdorf Goodman of the southeast US. Shaia’s has a great selection of men’s clothing and accessories for the discerning customer. Customer service was excellent, as I’d expect of a store of this caliber. I bought an exquisite Ermenegildo Zegna necktie, Gigi pocket square, Stenströms dress shirt and socks there. The customer service agent was very good at finding just the right items for a wedding I was attending. -STAN

Mobley & Son’s 18%
Harrison’s 12%
The Pants Store 4%
Jos. A. Bank 3%

BEST MORTGAGE BROKER

Guild Mortgage 13%
Trey Fava - Mortgage Banc 9%
McGowin-King Mortgage 8%
Rachel Trowbridge (First Federal Mortgage) 7%
MortgageBanc 6%

BEST EVENT VENUE

Events at Haven 11%

Haven is very spacious and whether you wanted to host your businesses holiday party, receptions for a wedding or just need to book a cool venue for the event definitely check them out! Such a fun atmosphere and there are plenty of bar areas, large dance floor area and outdoor seating. -EMILY

The Club 10%
Vulcan 7%
Iron City 6%
Birmingham Zoo 5%

BEST REALTOR

Isabella (Izzie) Moseley 15%
Scott Boudreax 14%
Robert and Beth Russom 12%

Over 300 agents nominated! Other top nominees listed In alphabetical order

Jake Callahan
Scott Ford
Jamie Goff
Julie Harris
Kristen McGee
Peck Barham
Hayden and Mike Wald
Fred Smith
Susan and Betsy Wall

BEST PLACE TO EAT WHEN YOU’RE HUNGOVER

Waffle House 24%

The experience - let’s face it. It’s Waffle House. There are more stories that come from here than there are stars in the sky. One just has to sit and observe or participate and make your own story. -CHAM

Jack Brown’s 6%
SAW’s 4%
Milo’s 3%
Black Market 3%

BEST ANNUAL CHARITY EVENT

Schoolhouse Rock 16%
CCA Crawfest 9%
Chili Cook-Off 6%
Red Nose Ball (Smile-A-Mile) 5%
St. Jude Field of Dreams 3%

BEST WOMEN’S BOUTIQUE

Mia Moda 28%

LOVE this store!!!! Super helpful staff. They have a great selection of clothes for all ages. Great atmosphere! Will definitely shop here again again and again!! -VIKKI

Soca 10%
South Boutique 5%
Village Sportswear 3%

BEST BBQ

SAW’s 37%

As good as any bar-b-q sandwich anywhere. As good as any place in Memphis -JONES

Full Moon 16%
Jim ‘N Nicks 9%
Dreamland 9%
Martin’s 7%

BEST ORTHODONTICS

Birmingham Orthodontics 15%
Yanosky Orthodontics 12%
PT Orthodontics 6%
Great Smiles 2%
Hufham 2%

BEST LAW FIRM

Alexander Shunnarah 10%
Kirk Drennan Law 9%
Maynard Cooper & Gale 6%
Sirote & Permutt 6%
Bradley 5%

Over 400 lawyers nominated!

BEST LOCAL ATTRACTION

Vulcan 28%

Would you like the best view of Birmingham?! Well you’re coming to the right place. The amount of rich Alabama history in one place is intoxicating and not to mention extremely beautiful. This is a great place to bring the family and to even go on a romantic evening date. -ROCHELLE

Birmingham Zoo 19%
Birmingham Barons 9%
Railroad Park 8%
Barbers Motorsports 6%

BEST DENTIST

Shades Creek Dental 6%

Dr. MacBeth provides the best service I’ve experienced in any field. They are using state-of-the-art equipment to provide total dental health. -ROB

Davenport Dental 5%
Floss 4%
Mountain Brook Smiles 3%
Stone Creek 3%

BEST MUSIC VENUE

Iron City 27%

We have visited the Iron City venue several times for various events, including galas and concerts. It’s a great venue with an open floor area for concert standing room or a dance floor for a gala or wedding. The top mezzanine includes seated options. -ERICA

Oak Mtn Amphitheater 20%
Saturn 13%
Alabama Theatre 10%
BJCC 9%

BIG Thank you to everyone who completed our Readers Poll!! We randomly selected one respondent to win a gift package from our friends at La Bella Skin & Wellness. Congratulations to @rebeccabellbrown. She won a $300 Gift Card. Thank you @labellabirmingham!!

Who Voted?

We had over 2300 people who voted online, and they told us a little about themselves. Here’s what they said.

77% Female
23% Male

Married: 67%
Single: 33%

Age 18-20: 1%
Age 21-29: 19%
Age 30-39: 29%
Age 40-49: 22%
Age 50-59: 16%
Age 60+: 13%

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 54%
Graduate Degree: 30%
Employed Full Time: 76%
Employed Part Time: 12%
Not Employed, Not Looking: 5%
Retired: 6%

Own Home: 81%
1+ kids under 17 living at home: 17%
2+ kids under 17 living at home: 19%
3+ kids under 17 living at home: 7%

WHERE DO THEY LIVE?

Vestavia Hills: 30%
Mountain Brook: 17%
Homewood: 15%
North Birmingham: 2%
Hoover: 9%
Five Points/Southside: 6%
Bessemer: 2%
Avondale: 3%
Irondale: 3%
Trussville: 3%
Pelham: 3%
Alabaster: 1%
Other: 7%

May We Suggest?

Some Spring Suggestions from About Town

Vegan? Check out Big Spoon Creamery for their vegan ice cream. Also, check out Delta Blues for some out-of-the-box vegan-style food. Delta Blues is a husband and wife team who want to make something for everyone!

Hungry for lunch? Do what we’ve done. Destroy the lunch buffet at Bayleaf Indian Food. We still love us some Taj, but this place is a welcome addition to Five Points. Get a water and you can get out of there for under $10.

Head back to the roaring 1920s at Marble Ring in Avondale. It’s a speakeasy with a secret phone booth entrance which adds to the 20s flare. It’s intimate and secretive and definitely a bar for the books.

Kick it old school at Saturn with their vintage video game night. While you’re at it, go see a performance from a wide range of musicians. It combines fun with an out-of-this-world setting and atmosphere. Definitly a place to go blow off some steam.

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