Tiger’s Inn — Restaurant in Valley Head

A very nice, very clean little diner in a classic model-railroad town. The chicken livers came highly recommended. Unfortunately chicken livers are only served at lunch on particular days, which means it's unlikely my wife will ever taste them. (It's beyond unlikely that I'll ever taste them because, well. . . ick. But, they were recommended, so if you like that sort of thing and can get to Valley Head at lunchtime on a weekday, go for it.)

My wife and I split a mushroom and Swiss burger with onion rings. That was plenty for my wife and me as a light lunch. Delicious! If I had been just a bit more hungry, I could easily have eaten a whole burger but not all the onion rings myself. Portions are generous but not obscene. They cook their burgers to order, so if you want it medium rare they'll cook it that way for you. Big plus.

Service was excellent: attentive, friendly, accurate, and accommodating. We went on a Saturday early afternoon (just after 2:00 which is when lunch officially stops being served), so it was pretty quiet. No waiting for a table and our order came quickly - and hot. I have a feeling the place gets pretty full at regular meal times. Several folks showed up while we were there.

Ice tea is served in a quart Ball jar, so don't let the $2.79 beverage price - which oddly appears all by itself on the front of the menu - scare you off. You won't need a refill. However, I rated Tiger's Inn a 4-star rather than 5 only because the prices overall seem just a touch on the high side. $13 is just a bit more than I'm accustomed to paying for a medium-sized burger closer to home, but as I said it was an excellent burger. I'd really prefer a 4-1/2 star rating if that were possible.

The decor is blissfully neutral. No kitschy junk hanging from the ceiling to remind you that you're in an actual small town where the high school is actually on School Street. They did go with corrugated metal wainscoting but it's not overdone. The main visual impression is that everything looks very clean. Nice view out the front windows, too, especially if you enjoy trains. (Only one passed while we were there, but I'm told the track is quite active, so your odds are good.)

Overall, a 4-1/2. Recommend stopping if you're anywhere in the...

Stopped by this place on the way thru to Huntsville recently based on the reviews. They have a limited menu along with a chalkboard with a meat and 2/3 options. We ordered off the chalkboard. Our order consisted of Catfish w/hushpuppies, fries, slaw, roll and Roasted pork loan w/wild rice, slaw, cornbread and cheesy fried potatoes. Both came with a small dessert of our choice.

Here are the pros and cons of our visit:

Pros: I love small town places like this and like to patronize such establishments. Overall, the place is nice inside and looked clean. It was crowded for lunch which is usually a good sign. Service was good and friendly. The overall pricing was very good and felt it was good value for the money. The catfish, roll, cornbread and rolls were very good. The slaw, fries and cheesy potatoes were ok tasting but had issues.

Cons: Unfortunately, my pork loin was inedible. The pork was sliced thin and i'm not sure if they threw it on the flattop or put in a microwave to heat it but it was as tough as shoe leather. Roast pork should be nice and tender. It's unfortunate since I thought the seasoning on it as well as the rice had a good flavor. The slaw was the mayo type but it lacked any sweetness. Add a bit more sweetness and a little more 'dressing' and the slaw would be great. As for the potatoes, I guess I envisioned some roasted potatoes with melted cheese and I got an odd looking cheese sauce. It didn't taste bad but not what I expected. The potatoes felt like they had been sitting a while in a warmer until the hot cheese was dunked on them. If the potatoes had been fresh, it would have been better. I would also consider using a white queso instead. The fries had the same issues as the potatoes as they didn't seem fresh. Again probably sitting in a warmer as they weren't real crisp.

Overall, a place that has such a minimal menu should be banging out incredible food and could be if some things are addressed. Some of the other food coming out (ex: burgers) looked pretty good and overall...

I cannot say enough about this restaurant!! The staff were just precious and the food was absolutely amazing. It’s a short drive from where we were staying in Mentone. I sent my teenagers off to breakfast by themselves the first morning we were in Mentone. They came back raving about this place. They wanted to go back the next morning AND the next! So we did of course! The grill cheese and tomato soup was so not your typical soup and sandwich, it was fantastic!! The food was southern soul food with a flare!! The prices were very affordable for the amount and quality. My kids tried the chicken and waffles, waffle sliders, omelet, cheese grits and biscuit and gravy. They were blown away with it all! I had the stuffed French toast the next morning, with blueberries on the side. Oh and I tried a pancake! So so so good! This place is a must if you’re in the area!! I’m a people watcher and one of the waitress’ baby and significant other came to eat while she worked the first morning and they were just too cute!! I could tell by the interaction of the staff that all the locals frequent because they knew so many by name. The staff were very friendly and diligent. The “chefs” in the kitchen were just that! They cared about the food from their kitchen and it was definitely evident in the taste. We travel the state and all over the world for experiences and the food. This place was on point! I love the...