Two words, people: Hot. Brown.
Maybe we missed the elusive "brookie" crowd that's often discussed when Dram comes up, but I enjoyed the environment of this place. Dram is considered a whiskey bar and coincidentally, whiskey is my favorite liquor so I was in drink heaven. The old-fashioned and the Blackberry Winter mixed drinks were perfect, and I contemplated stealing my husband's Toronto (but didn't).
I couldn't decide on what to order as my entree and our server basically insisted I get the hot brown. Thank you, wise waitress, for the amazing recommendation. The hot brown consists of layers of toast, thick slices of roasted turkey, an amazing cream sauce, and thick-cut bacon. I know it sounds weird, but this dish was amazing.
My husband got the bluegrass burgers and I thought the Henry Bain's sauce really made an otherwise normal burger stand out. Our waitress convinced my husband to order the truffle fries from the Avo menu as his side and we were very pleased with this decision. The huge plate of fries were demolished and let me tell you, that is no small feat.
We don't get over to this area of Birmingham very often, but maybe we'll have to make a point to every once in awhile for the hot brown.
I'd been here before for drinks, but dined here for the first time last week. Sat outside, on the front patio in the shade. We tried a couple appetizers, the Nashville Hot Chicken (great flavor but tiny portion for the price) and the pimento cheese and crackers (recommend this app--good quantity and great flavor--so good one of the guys ordered the pimento cheeseburger!). For our entrees, 3 of the 4 in our party ordered burgers, which were all large and tasted great. The Henry Bain sauce that came on the side with my Bluegrass Burger was awesome, hard to describe it--a bit of a worcestershire taste, but a little fruity as well. Paired very well with my burger. The matchstick fries looked good, but my Maker's Mark bourbon mashed sweet potatoes were awesome. Two of my favorite things, bourbon and potatoes. WIN. I wish Dram was open for lunch, would hit it up more often.
Review Source:Decided to have brunch here because Another Broken Egg was very busy. I wish i had been more patient. Our food was fine, but for cost--i would have preferred somewhere else. I had the eggs Benedict and  david had the oyster egg dish.  Both were ok---but for $12+ on each one, it could have at least had a side item...
My father in law had the  Egg salad sandwich. It was a sliced hard boiled egg on a sandwich. I don't think he was expecting it to come that way.
Food took a long time to come out, too. Prob won't be back for brunch
Wonderful atmosphere with bar seating, regular seating, lounge seating, and outdoor patio seating. My preference is always anything on a patio so that's what we did. This has to be one of the loveliest outdoor seated restaurants I've been to in a long while. Take advantage of it if you're here. It helps that this place doesn't seem to aim at a particular crowd. I saw groups of really young people in here, dinner parties, and older people all in different areas of the restaurant/bar that you shouldn't worry about feeling out of place here. Just leave the kids at home or at the ice cream shop nearby.
The service was superb. The waiter did an excellent job in recommending a bourbon drink even as I don't like bourbon. If that's you, order the blackberry winter. It's sweet enough to make the bourbon a reasonable taste a hint of bitterness.
We ordered the onion rings appetizer. If you're craving onion rings, don't order this because there is nothing about this dish that is onion or ring-shaped even. However, it was still a wonderful small appetizer to get a taste of that won't fill you up.
Our entree was the hot brown. I'm not sure what's in or what toast points even are. It just seemed like a mess of bacon, cheese, and eggs on top of some slices of bread buried underneath somewhere that made this dish a home run.
My copilot and I stopped here for an early dinner and drinks after flying all day and through lunch. We were sitting at the bar and we must have gotten there at a good time because soon after this place was filling up with an after work crowd. Seemed like everyone in there was in business attire, men in suits and ties and women in pants-suits. The guys that come in here should consider leaving their ties in their cars because the scene started to look a little stuffy after a while.
The food wasn't good. I had a bowl of their bison chili and some tempura haricots verts and we split a bottle of wine. The wine was excellent. My bison chili seemed to be missing the bison and any hint of flavor or spice. Perhaps their entrees are better. Who knows? I'd be willing to give them another shot next time I come to Birmingham.
Had dinner at Avo/Dram tonight. Â It was delicious. Â We had to eat upstairs at Avo b/c it was full downstairs at Dram. Â We ate off the Dram menu. Â I had the Hot Brown - one of the best I've ever had. Â My husband had the Gatlinburger and Parmesan Truffle Fries. Â It was a little over cooked, but delicious. Â They have an extensive whiskey/bourbon menu. Â The wine list is limited but sufficient. Â Can't wait for it to warm up so we can eat on the patio.
Review Source:You want whiskey??? They have it! I enjoy some good bourbon from time to time and they have the best selection in town.  This place has a fantastic atmosphere downstairs called DRAM - all wood work made of old bourbon barrels, supposedly. The upstairs is called AVO - a bit more modern/contemporary style - which doesn't matter because you can get the same stuff in both places.  A great place to  drink after work or even for session boozing.  You gotta try the whiskey cocktails and all of their crazy creations.  If you get hungry the food is also great! Their burgers are the shit!!!!!!!
Review Source:Maybe my favorite place in Birmingham. The food is always good and I love the atmosphere/decor.
I really enjoy both the California burger off the Avo menu and the Gatlinburger from the Dram menu. Hot and juicy burgers with high quality ingredients every time!
The scotch and bourbon selection is the best in the city.
I don't know what happened to the food but the place is now officially a bar.
It's a cool place to hang out and if you must eat, I'd get the burgers. The last few times, even those have been ok.
I really don't know what happened. They used to have a great menu and really good food but it's not the case anymore.
Got run out of the house so I met up with my friends at Dram while the wives had some kind of function. Sat outside on the deck and I was fortunate to find two of my favorite food items combined in one dish: a pimento cheese on a burger with mustard and fantastic pickles.
I ordered it medium-rare, and it felt a bit more like medium to me, but it was still delicious. The mashed sweet potato side made the whole meal complete, and my buddies and I left full and satisfied. Our waitress, Kendall, was awesome- I recommend her to anyone heading over to Dram. Cool thing is, no matter where you sit, you can order off either the Dram or the Avo menu, so the options are pretty big.
When I am dragged out to brunch by my wife or daughter, I'm happy to end up at Dram because they serve real food: grits, biscuits, gravy, bacon- all my top picks for a weekend breakfast. I'll definitely be heading back over to Dram in the future.
Well, we found this place based on  other Yelp reviews so we decided to give it a try. The downstairs was hopping but a little on the loud side so we decided to go upstairs and sit outside. It was very slow upstairs but considering we showed up at 945 on a Wed night that was expected. Not to worry though our Server Nick showed up and took great care of us! He made great recommendations, even saving me from attempting the Bacon infused Bourbon drink. (who knew that bacon wasn't that great with something?)  I had the Gatlinburger (with Bacon instead of Sausage and some gouda for good measure) and my wife had the Bison burger. Both were cooked to Med rare perfection! For sides, I had the Gits (EXCELLENT!), and she had the fries (Acceptable) and while we were't offered any of the excellent sounding sauces, we really didn't need any!  The drinks were good and though the Blackberry Winter was not to her liking they made a spot on Manhattan. Nick made awesome recommendations for every step of the meal and to top it all off the bourbon ice cream sandwich was not too shabby. I hope to make it back here again to sample the other Kentucky inspired delicacies and maybe see if they really know how to make a Hot Brown!
Review Source:Dram is my personal go-to for dinner. Â I know there are haters out there who dislike the mainly "Brookie" crowd that frequents the bar, but hey, it makes for great people watching if nothing else.
Essentially, the food is on-point, the wine list stellar, the cocktails unique and the service impeccable. Â (Ask for Kendall as your waitress- she's the best so tip her well!) The decor is cozy and the outdoor patio is decked, with the lower section featuring couches and a table for a casual drink or two. Â
My usual order includes the pimiento cheese burger (no bun) and the fries... oh those french fries. As a self-professed french fry expert/addict, I can tell you that these are divine. They often are made with duck fat or some truffle oil, so you foodies out there know how those tastes envelop your mouth and make you a little woozy (ok I need to take a break now....)... Ask for the rosemary ketchup- it is made in-house. Actually all of their sauces are good, so if you have a nice waiter  you can ask for all of them so you can sample and see which you prefer.
Brunch at Dram is another treat I indulge in every once in a while. Well-made bloody mary's complement the omelets, sausage, and bacon... and the pancakes (so I'm told).
If you aren't in the mood for whiskey-bar southern fare, you can also always order off of the Avo menu (the restaurant upstairs that is muy modern and California style... if you do that I suggest the grilled cheese with tomato soup dipping sauce... oh lala).
So, Dram = great food in a cool atmosphere. Â Then you can walk around the corner to the ice cream shop and get some Only 8 frozen yogurt to make up for the massive amount of fries or bourbon sweet potato mash you consumed. :)
After wandering around Crestline last night my SO and I decided on Dram/Avo for dinner. Â For a Wednesday night it was rather busy, we were seated upstairs. Â The two restaurants are totally different, but both fantastic. Â We ended up ordering off the Dram menu. Â I had the Blackberry Winter and it was one of the best drinks I've ever had, and I am not a fan of sweet drinks usually. Â I ordered the lamb burger (mr) with fries and he ordered the bison burger (m) with greens. Â I wasn't terribly impressed with the greens, but that is more of a personal preference. Â The burgers were cooked perfectly and the rosemary ketchup was to die for. Â My second drink was Sassafrass Sazerac which was completely different and equally good. Â
Service was good, we sat at a bar table at Avo and the bartender was attentive even though he was rather busy. Â The manager came over and greeted us, asked about our food and helped me decide on my second drink. Â Overall, fantastic experience and I can't wait to go back!!
If you like whisky, Dram's is the place to go. Not too pricy, but upscale enough to foster an awesome crowd and great ambiance. The bison burger and bison chili were divine! Highly recommended. Service was great at both the restaurant and the bar. Was only visiting Birmingham, but if I return, I will definitely go back. Excellent.
Review Source:It is almost 4AM & this will be my 1st Yelp review. Funny that I signed up for Yelp since I make fun of the BF constantly as he is addicted to this web community. After signing up, Dram is the 1st place I wanted to review bc it is the definition of awesome. I say this based on the drinks, not so much the food as I haven't tried many things on the menu. For the few items I have tried, I will say that their burgers are very well made---& I am not a burger-eating gal. I recently tried the Bison Burger ($12) with a side of grits. The burgers are comparable  to those @ Flip Burger. The grits were DELICIOUS! Very fluffy & well seasoned.
If you are just here for a drink & a snack, I highly recommend the fries. Yes, they are just fancy cut fries with skin still on them but what really makes it is the ketchup (I think it's rosemary/lavender/some herb-infused). Oh the ketchup. When you realized you've run out of fries it's a sad moment as now there is nothing to eat the rest of the ketchup with. It is that amazing.
I read somewhere that Dram is a little piece of Kentucky that got dropped in Alabama. I've never been to Kentucky but am assuming they are big on whiskey, as Dram is a whiskey bar. Â I.LOVE.WHISKEY.
Dram goes above & beyond the whiskey sour & jack+coke. The bar is stocked full of whiskey varieties. That being said they do make other spirit drinks, but why would you go to whiskey bar & order an appletini? The Blackberry Winter & Algonquin are just girly enough but packs a punch . For the cold weather right now they have a delicious Hot Tottie made with apple-cinnamon infused house whiskey. Prices range from $9-$12. They also have 1/2 price well & call drinks & beers (except high-gravity) on Tuesdays. Dram is a sister establishment to Jackson's Bar&Bistro in Soho, so they do some of the same specials.
This review has run away with my delirious state of insomnia so I will just end it with the decor. There is a lot of wood & brick & comfy leather chairs. It's homey with two flat screen TVs @ the bars for singles. Their outdoor patio is very well set up, perfect for parties in the summer time. The service has always been very polite, nice, & helpful.
Go here. Drink whiskey. It will make you merry--& warm. So very warm.
It's an interesting setup, with Dram partnered with the upstairs restaurant Avo. Â Two completely different menus and atmospheres. Â How I found this out was that when I arrived, Dram was so crowded I couldn't get a table, so they invited me to have a drink (on them) upstairs and review the menus until space opened up.
Dram's menu is Southern-inspired, as opposed to Avo's California seafood focus. Â I had the pimento cheese & crackers with my cocktail, and it was good, but unremarkable. Â For dinner I had the fish & chips, which was not in the least greasy. Â I asked the waitress before I ordered it, and she assured me I'd be pleased, and I was. Â
I'm a single malt drinker, and their selection was solid in that respect. Â
If this place has a downside, it's the noise level. Â Too many hard surfaces makes this a tough place to enjoy a conversation. Â As the night went on, it got busier and noisier. Â It was an entertaining place for people-watching. Â I got a chuckle seeing the crowd trying to look sophisticated wearing what was fashionable in Manhattan 5 years ago. Â (I'm an ex-New Yorker, so I can say this.) Â A word of advice to these poseurs, though. Â You don't look sophisticated drinking the beer right out of the bottle, or sipping a cocktail with a slice of bacon sticking out of it. Â (Yes, that's the house drink - bacon infused bourbon.) Â In fact, half the menu had bacon involved in some fashion. Â I know it's a Southern thing, but the bacon fad is over.
People who don't  100% enjoy the food must not have tried the pork chop on a bed of grit's w/a fried egg on top. Are you crazy? Also try the filet w/ some delicious okra on the side. I have been to Dram a handful of times and have always enjoyed my experience. While slightly pricey, it's better food and drink than I've had in some of the "finer" restaurants in B'ham. The MB uppity-ness doesn't bother me because my friends and I ignore it. I'm there for the great service and smooth drinks anyway. I give it a solid A.
Review Source:I have been going to Dram ever since they opened last year. Yeah there are some pretentious patrons but if your concentrating on them instead of your delicious drink then you shouldn't come here anyway. I don't live in Birmingham but my fiance is in school there so I go one a month. The staff is some of the best in Birmingham why?...because all the management is from outside of Birmingham. Food...uhh where else in Birmingham can you get a bacon crab stuffed deviled egg and a bone in buffalo steak?...Nuf said. Drinks...the best old fashioned in town. Wine?...ok so I'm not usually drinking wine from a whiskey bar but the list is impressive with some hard to find wines (and I'm in San Francisco). To sum it up there really isn't a place in Birmingham like Dram and that suits me just fine.
PS: Sunday is 1/2 price bottles of wine!
I have to say that these other people complaining about the Mountain Brook crowd are judging based on appearance and not necessarily the quality of food or the atmosphere. Given it is in the middle of Mountain Brook, it still has fabulous food (try the okra or the amazing pimento cheese spread). I go there for the experience of good food and a way to take a load off after a long work day. So put aside the complaints from the people who talk about who goes there, the wait staff is fabulous and so is the food. Isn't that what this is about?
Review Source:I'm on the road quite a bit and enjoyed this place during a recent visit to Birmingham. Staff was super friendly and the food pretty good (much better than that Bottega place across town). The atmosphere is great if you're looking to hang out and have drinks -- not as noisy as a sports bar and nice enough to entertain a business client. I'll definitely go back again.
Review Source:I honestly can't remember what I ate here, so I guess it wasn't that note worthy.  Downtown Mountain Brook has always been lacking in restaurants due to the lack in parking spaces.  However, this can be alleviated if one can offer a dining experience that merits the trouble.  Dram...hmm, nice atmosphere/décor, but really caters to the uppity stereotypical MB trophy wives.  All I noticed while there were a couple of suits having an afterwork pick-me-up and dolled-up first wives club women on the prowl for their next pool boy.
This is essentially a MB place for MB people. Â Too bad really, it has the makings of a fine establishment, but fails in execution.
Some friends and I came here just to try the bacon whiskey. I don't even like whiskey, but I just wanted to be able to say I tried it. Yeah so I had to hold down my puke response but whatev. Now I can join the bacon crowd.
We are a really laid back group of folks, and I just wanted to throw my bacon whiskey drink in the faces of all the other people there. Ugh. But that is to be expected. I mean this is MB we are talkin about. So you will indeed be surrounded by little posh wannabes that think they own the world. Some stupid b pretty much made sure the door slammed in my face. I dunno, maybe it was because I was wearing my Choos instead of wearing my Manolos. My bad! I'll try to remember them next time!
The only upside was that when we were joking around and asked for more bacon, the guy brought us a plate full.
Dram is really great for night time atmosphere, Whisky, & snacks.
However when it comes to Brunch, they have a lot to work on.
The mimosa's are way over priced especially since they are made with Sparkling Wine, which will always give you a headache. Opt for 1/2 off wines & get a good bottle of Champ age. Be careful though, the Veuve Clicquot is a split (half size) bottle.
The Brunch menu is a complete joke. The grits were decent but that was about it. The biscuits looked like dolls food, the sliders were finger tip size, the eggs were sloppy & undercooked.
Our bill came to over $40 for lackluster Barbie food.
I agree the with MB that the atmosphere is worth the visit. Â But I disagree that the food is just OK. Â Same Chef as the upstairs Avo and the food is just as good! Â The menu at Dram is very reasonablly priced. Great burgers and other items from the grill! Â I really enjoyed the "Breakfast for Dinner": a grilled Duroc pork chop served with grits and topped with a fried egg. Â They also have this sauce called Henry Baines, or something like that, which reminds me of a steak sauce and BBQ sauce married together. Â Get that sauce on your burger or steak, or even on the grits. Â The bar is lively and a great place to hang out after work, mid evening, or late night.
Review Source:Dram isn't the best food in Birmingham, but the atmosphere makes it worth the visit. Â The food is OK, and a little overpriced. Â They have a great variety of mixed drinks and cocktails, including the infamous Bacon Infused Whiskey. Â It is what it sounds like, servced complete with a stick of bacon. The bacon infused whiskey drink is worth trying once (for me, just to say I did it). Â I have sampled the John Daly (an alcholic version of the Arnold Palmer drink) and it was very good.
Review Source:
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