carrigan's public house

food is good, needs work. there was a group of 4 of us that went this past tues. we were all really excited to try out the food and check out the atmosphere of the place.there was no place to stand in line to put in your order or a waitress to help you out at a table. no place where menus were accessible to those who weren't being helped at the bar. everyone that came in before and after us were putting in drink and food orders. so, there was a bunch of people standing around, looking confused about who's in line next to order or they were looking for a menu.

we finally managed to get some menus and read through everything. we waited on one of the four bartenders to take our order for about 15 minutes. they were busy making drinks for other customers as well as putting in food orders. oh, and the drink prices are pretty high as well. the poor bartenders looked stressed, tired, and overworked. we placed our order and everything came out well. the loaded fries and double burger were the best dishes at our table. they were worth the wait. i got the short rib sandwich, it wasn't worth the $13. wouldn't get it again. another diner got the felafel sandwich, he didn't finish it. maybe it was an acquired taste? he didn't seem impressed. i'm not going to lie, i love the look of the place. the rooftop dining and outside area are pleasing to the eye. the only reason i tipped over 20% was because i felt bad for the bartenders, not because i received excellent service. i really don't understand why there is a station to take orders at the end of the bar away from the alcohol if the owner won't bother to hire someone to actually use it.

i'll say it again, we were there on a tuesday. not a busy night for most businesses. there were tables available. it wasn't packed out. i can't even fathom what a weekend night is like. i don't feel like i need to go back.

do not go. shockingly bad-very unfriendly

good seating outside and on the top balcony with lights and a passing train. the drinks are good, and bartenders are pretty quick. nice decor behind the bar!

the female manager on duty was extremely rude and unprofessional. clearly does not need to be in a managerial position.

new place very nice. some drafts on tap, the staff is ok, they just opened so must have been an early morning opening for them.

had the chases burger with ghost pepper cheese. very very good. had the home cut fries. very very good along with the burger.

nice place good food service was ok. but i think the night shifts didn’t stock the bar.

a repeat place for sure.

such a nice atmosphere. we love going there for a drink and love love love the lights outside. it is right by the train and you can see it passing by. they serve both drinks and food. this place is a must try if you are out at night in birmingham.

great atmosphere. great food and reasonably priced. we had the corndog and salmon salad. the grits are awesome. collard greens were a bit salty. would order all again. wait staff was friendly and quick. order at the bar and food is brought out. would definitely return.

for me, it depends on how you're thinking about this place when rating it. as a bar and a fun place to grab drinks with friends is give it a 5 for sure. when it comes to food it's just ok. attempt to elevate bar food but frankly a corn dog is a corn dog. the food is really good for what it is but this isn't a restaurant where you go simply for the food. it is a great bar with a bar(ish) menu.

i decided to try the kale caesar salad with ahi tuna, and i was not disappointed! the dressing was very good, and the tuna was cooked perfectly. i really like the outdoor seating. it's a great place to have lunch or dinner outside, but keep in mind it's 21+ only. i will definitely be back to try more of the menu.

attitude! spare me. please. terrible service and condescending bartenders. i've been here numerous times and it's always the same. i guess if you're not ultra hip or a friend of the staff you get to fight to get their attention.

the food was excellent. we had cold ramen, oxtail chili, fries, and humus plate. each item was delicious, healthy (except the fries cause that's impossible), and creatively done. the humus was sundried tomato; it was lemony and creamy, served with veggies, pita, olive tapenade, etc. the cold ramen was served with a large heap of smoked beef, kimchi, soft boiled eggs, etc. super. the chili was more like a stew with lots of tomato celery onion, wonderful flavor. it had a pile of shredded cheese in top, sliced fresh jalepeno, and garlic buttered toast. the fries came with 3 good mystery sauces, 2 creamy, 1 tomato based.
the service was weird. you order at the bar, which is fine, except that we were forced to fight to put an order in on a slow day. had to chase the bartender around the bar some, kinda awkward. they could probably use an order food here sign to separate the drinks vs food orders.

jesus christ. here's the deal: if you want a highly crafted cocktail or a locally brewed beer this place is for you. the architecture, landscape and interior are off the charts good. however, it might be a bit tough to recognize these things through the cloud of smugness that you'll have to fight to actually get any booze into your body. from the very hip yet disinterested door guys to the very hip yet disinterested bartenders, there is a constant battle of having to prove that you're cool enough to drink there. granted, the bartenders are some of the most knowledgeable you're likely to find in birmingham (just ask them, they'll tell you). however, they will pour that knowledge onto you looking down their noses at the steepest of angles from atop their enormous, self-made pedestals. great drinks though.

a little pricey but very tasty. the food here is actually really good for bar food (honestly even for a regular restaurant). the drinks are good, though a little expensive. the bartenders are always friendly and eager to answer questions. the rooftop has an awesome seating area for a less noisy or crowded feeling.

good food. bad service.. we ate lunch here today. i had the salmon salad and my partner had the double cheeseburger. the food was very good. however, we ordered at the bar and i actually had to bring our empty glasses up to the bar to get drink refills. it was pretty pathetic, especially since i tipped (up front) an amount appropriate for good full service. anyway, the food was very good and we liked the interior of the restaurant. we will probably return, but we'll certainly adjust our tipping percentage.

best atmosphere in downtown, menu needs work. ate lunch there with two friends today. the atmosphere was second to none! the staff was ok, although it is a bar service so don't expect to see a waiter at your table. the menu and food/drink items left something to be desired.
firstly, we eat lunch out all over town every weekday, and we all have different tastes. also, while we have been known to spend over $20 on lunch, we prefer to keep it around $12. first impression of carrigan's was that it was similar to iron city; just the ambiance. very nice and i loved the land rover bar! the tables are works of art and the door handles are even cool.
as for the food, we opted for the cheapest thing on the menu, the $9 corndog. we also ordered sweet teas, our daily drink of choice. the teas were made with simple syrup with the largest ice cubes i've ever seen. after two sips, all the teas went back in exchange for cokes. i've never tasted tea like that. it tasted a lot like what i would imagine swamp water tastes like, only worse. the cokes were great but carbonation was "too high" according to bartender so over half the glass was fizz, which wasn't much liquid with the huge ice cubes.
then the corn dog. it was a large corn dog covered with a lot of stuff i can't pronounce. but deep down, it was a corn dog. halfway through, we scraped the stuff off and just added mustard! perfect! the fries were great btw!
went back for our last coke refill.....they were all flat. they adjusted the carbonation all the way down:(
we all agreed if the food was better, and less expensive, we could eat there two days a week. as it was i think one of our comments summed it up: "it's really a shame when the ambiance is better than the food!"