The Birmingham Restaurant Raider: REVIEW: Mikey's Grill "Have An Encounter With Seafood"

When you visit the Mikey's Grill website it notes that veteran chef Michael "Mikey" Lee was recognized at one of Birmingham's "hottest young chefs" in Birmingham Magazine several years ago. Mikey's Grill, located in Hoover is the result of that. Mikey's offers a wide variety of dishes including seafood items that have been kissed with creole & Cajun flavors. After reviewing their on-line menu, I decided to add them to the list of places to try. They are recognized as a 2014 winner of the OpenTable.com "Diner's Choice Award".

Atmosphere: I have to admit, when I saw the word "grill" on the sign, I assumed that it would be a sports bar. Mikey's is anything but. Inside the restaurant, there were linen table cloths, with matching sheer curtains. A nice wine rack sits just inside the doorway behind the hostess stand. There is a full service bar and plenty of table seating. This would be a great place for special occasion dinners and business meals.

The Meal: I actually combined 2 separate visits in this post. The first visit, I had a cup of their seafood gumbo. This gumbo was packed with tons of flavor and chunks of seafood in every single bite. I will admit, this is some of the BEST gumbo I've tasted so far in life. I also decided on the crab cake sandwich. I know you're thinking... crab cakes on a sandwich? It was pretty darn good. It was a lightly fried crab cake on a soft bun with lettuce, tomato and a light cream sauce. The sandwich was accompanied by fresh, fried sweet potato chips. It was a pretty good sized sandwich. I was only able to finish half. On a separate visit, my lunch companion and I both decided to have a shared basket of sweet potato chips & 2 large bowls of gumbo. We also decided to try the alligator strips with remoulade sauce. WOW!! If you've been thinking of trying alligator, but haven't quite gotten up your nerve, I'd recommend the alligator strips appetizer at Mikey's for $7.75.

The Prices: A cup of gumbo runs $5.75 & $8.75 for a bowl. Their impressive appetizer menu prices range from $7.75 & up. Soups, salads & sandwiches from the lunch menu shouldn't break the bank either. They also offer a dinner menu that includes meals for a heavier appetite and lots of seafood delicacies.

The Staff: No problems with friendliness from this staff. Our server had a great personality and was very attentive. We were accommodated very well.

Overall experience: The food was enough to keep me coming back for more. I loved the flavor of everything I tried, the atmosphere, the staff and the sweet tea. I look forward to returning for more outstanding gumbo and possibly to have dinner soon.

For more information,directions or to make a reservation at Mikey's Grill visit http://mikeysgrill.com/

Thanks for reading as I #RaidBham

~The Birmingham Restaurant Raider
"Anonymously Raiding A Restaurant Near You"