The Lumbar — Restaurant in Birmingham

The location has ample parking and decent decor.The crowd was lively for game night and was diverse as well. However,the science theme was somewhat underwhelming. The drinks were served in standard glasses and appeared to be random concoctions.I was in town for work and wanted a strong cocktail to end my week. I ordered a cocktail with a gin base from the Jurassic menu.The drink had a unique taste but was seriously lacking alcohol.I ordered two additional drinks and left as sober as I arrived!Definitely not an alcoholic but 3 cocktails and no buzz is a sign of cheap alcohol or watered down drinks.Water is self serve out of a dispenser near the bar.Patrons were observed standing in line to place orders which is different from the usual sit and serve.I decided to sit at the bar to avoid walking back and forth.The bartender was quite prompt with taking orders and was friendly as well.The burger and fries were pretty standard .I was expecting more based off the previous reviews.Overall,a decent spot if I was still in undergrad/ grad school and wanted a decent hangout. The science theme is different but was barely noticeable other than it being written on the chalk board. Perhaps actually mix drinks in beakers ,have test tube shots, periodic table or formula menu,sleeveless lab coats for bartenders,serve food on dissection tins just more science decor to support the theme. Overall a decent spot to try but not impressive...

Of course the drinks are great, it’s a bar. What you don’t expect is the food to be so good. Sometimes we come to sit outside on the patio and eat a green chille cheeseburger or a smash burger and sweet potato fries and people watch under the lights at Pepper Place. The burgers are so good. Don’t be put off by the green chillies or other lovely ingredients, they will make a plain one for you if you are so inclined. That brings me to the absolutely fabulous people who work there. I’ve been multiple times and on each occasion I've had wonderful service by people who act as if they’ve known me for years. I guess I just didn’t think you could get service like this anymore. I wish there were more...

My wife and I went here for some pre-dinner snacks and drinks and were amazed at this hidden gem. The classic cocktails were spot-on and made with extreme care. They had a chalkboard with themed drinks for the month that all looked interesting and very creative. For snacks, we tried the Pepper Jack Mac Bites and were very pleased with them. They had a nice kick to them and came in a batch big enough for two to share and be satisfied. We look forward to returning to try some of the other items on the menu. The location is terrific and the fact that it’s east-facing made being there in the afternoon...