Pilcrow Cocktail Cellar — Restaurant in Birmingham

Pilcrow is what happens when the stars align and the tea leaves read "dope". Tucked away, a hidden gem, Pilcrow delivers a unique and much needed personable bar experience.

Pilcrow really nails the underground vibe it was shooting for. The transition of descending the stairs to the cool, gently lit cellar is like taking off your shoes after a long day. It's immediately relaxing and cathartic. No windows. No TVs. No in-house DJ named Master NipSlip-DiskFlip Jockey Man Jr to assault your ears with loud, repetitive beats that he swears are "so in in Prague right now". Just the gentle waves of small talk and unrestrained laughter that builds a sort of immediate kinship with all the other patrons of the bar. Pilcrow is an ideal location for catching up with old friends, making new friends, or a well-crafted drink to melt away the day's worries.

Speaking of, let's talk about the drinks. Pilcrow presents itself as a tequila bar and it does not disappoint. From an extensive berth of margaritas, in-house recipes, and wallet-friendly happy-hour specials, Pilcrow has something for everyone. The only drink I haven't enjoyed at Pilcrow was the third shooter in a row my buddy bought me for absolutely no occasion.

If you're looking for recommendations, or a good chat, be sure to get Yates as your bartender. Or JoJo. Or Joe. Heck, the whole crew is phenomenal. They're all excellent conversationalists, supremely talented bartenders, and downright fun.

All-in-all, Pilcrow hasn't been around for long, but it is quickly becoming a Birmingham staple. It has everything you need and salt on the rim!

Tl;dr - Bar good. Drinks good....

I am someone who loves specialty cocktails and this place really did it for me. They have a menu of over 30 specialty cocktails and a super neat vibe. The bartenders were very eclectic and kind! The music was moving and entertaining, but not too loud. The atmosphere feels like a dark ages dungeon where vampires hang on the weekends, with melted candle wax dripping down about every inch of the tapered brick walls. Yet, I did not feel any gimmicky or try-hard vibes. It is just a cool space to be in! We went at about 9:30pm on a Saturday night and they were able to accomodate a party of about 10 seated together. The drinks were immaculate! I suggest the Yoga Pants for sure! The location was fun to access too. If you're on 1st Ave. facing Cayo Coco Restaurant on your left, you pass the outdoor seating of the restaurant and enter a doorway on your right just before the stairs down to Morris Ave. Once you're in that doorway, you will take a left down the stairs to Pilcrow! Going straight after entering the doorway will take you to a water fountain...

The drinks are fairly good. Cool atmosphere too. If everything else was great, I’d rate it 5 stars. The service was pretty bad the first time I went, and that takes a lot to say for someone that had been in the service industry for 5 years. Luckily, the owner reached out after the fact (he had seen the original version of this review) and handled the situation very well. He explained that the place is still getting off the ground and that they're still recruiting better and better staff, and that corrective actions had been taken. Offered a beer on him for a second visit and a discussion as well. Seems to have a good grasp on how to run the business and seems genuinely interested in running the tightest ship possible and reaching out and taking proactive steps to solve issues. Can't say enough about how impressive that is. Ultimately, I'd go back at least, it should improve over time (and the drinks and atmosphere are definitely already at a...