Tavern on 1st

I am a downtowner now for 7 years and anyone who knows me, knows I am all about the new businesses moving in. We have a great city and it is only getting better. Finally had a chance to check this place out with a buddy of mine. We walked in, small crowd around the bar but the place was a little empty, to be expected on a Tuesday night. That being said We stood in front of one of two bar tenders making a few drinks. He did not acknowledge us, my buddy went to the John and came back, the bartender still had not acknowledged us. Don’t get me wrong, He was making drinks and of course he would not take our order, but he could have said «Hey guys welcome to the Tavern, I will be with you in a moment.» We were standing directly in front of him. NOTHING. In total about 7 minutes. I looked at my buddy and said lets to go to the Collins, Pale Eddie’s, The Rogue, Paramount or a number of other great down town bars, and we will have a drink in our hand by a friendly bartender, well before this. I am not returning to the Tavern for some time and will be sharing this story with my friends.

«Don’t judge a book by it’s cover»
I won’t lie, when I was walking up to this location to meet some friends I was skeptical. Dark street lighting, neighboring shops closed down already, and the sign outside looked a little old already.
Once I walked in, I was definitely wrong. This place is a wide open room with a spectacular bar and many seating options. There is a shuffle board table in the back that is great to keep you busy although my shuffleboard skills could improve and a plethora of pictures relating to the city throughout the bar. I imagine this place can and will get packed on the weekends after it gets discovered. Minus my group of friends, there were about 5 people in the bar on a Thursday night so give it time.
There is a closed off room that appears can be rented out for a private party including it’s own tables and tv area.
Their slogan is «A Birmingham Original since 2015».

Top notch cocktails! Such attention to detail in every drink. House made bitters line the shelves. The menu has wonderful variety. Something for every palate. The bartender/​mixologist, Ri, was attentive and highly knowledgeable. The atmosphere was cool and mirrored the attention paid to the drinks. I wish there were a place like this in every city. I’d give it 6 stars if I could!

We stop by Tavern on 1^st every time we visit Birmingham. The menu is innovative, the bartenders are professional and personable, and the ambience is casual but sophisticated. This is one of the spots helping make Birmingham the next great foodie destination.

Friendly and knowledgable staff. Basil Smash is my favorite drink on the menu, Ri’s Sazerac is my favorite one off-​menu.

This is an awesome little bar. Every specialty drink that I consumed was amazing. The only down side its a little pricey. The bartenders are great. Inside it feels like an upscale casual bar… The only negative is there is no courtyard or outside seating… I can not wait to go back.

We actually decided to check the Tavern out on Halloween night of this year, so it was not as crowded as it may usually have been (which was fine by us, since we were trying to get away from the crowds and parties.) The two bartenders on duty were amazing… very attentive, and making delicious craft cocktails. Apparently the cucumber smash is one of their most popular menu items… and I can definitely see why! I also had a couple of great bourbon concoctions. The atmosphere is very cool, with vintage pictures of Birmingham lining the walls. A shuffleboard table sits toward the back, if you are looking to play a bit. I also like that they have plenty of room inside… lots of booths and good seating at the bar as well. I only wish that they had at least a couple of patio tables along the sidewalk outside, if you want to step out for a moment. We can’t wait to go back soon!

I found this place on Unilocal and visited it on the same day, which is rare for me but I’m glad it happened. The bartenders seem to really know their mixology. I went on a Friday night and expected it to be packed, but it wasn’t. There was a decent crowd there at 10:30 but most of the booths and spots at the bar were open. Their craft cocktail menu is fantastic. The best part is that it’s seasonal so if you like something on the menu now, check it out. I highly recommend the Basil Smash and FDB NO. 1. My friend got the Matador’s last stand and Pineapple Express. Both were fantastically made but too strong for me. The only thing I would say that irked me about this place is that in between my first and second cocktail I tried to catch the bartender’s eye a few times and it took forever for me to flag one of them down for another drink (the place wasn’t that packed). Also, around 12:40AM most of the place cleared out and my friend were the only ones there but we were quickly rushed out of there even though it says online they don’t close until 2AM. Other then that though, I highly recommend this place.

Had cocktails after dinner. Ri the bartender was amazing and made one of the best old fashioned’s I’ve ever had. The Norwegian Wood cocktail was awesome, very aromatic with the rosemary sprig.

I have been here three times now and each time it gets better! This is a great addition to Birmingham’s growing assortment of mixology bars.
Things I love about this place: lower key. It’s not ragingly loud in here on a weeknight so you can actually have a very nice and quiet drink with friends. The decorations are pretty with gorgeous old photographs of Birmingham, lots of exposed wood and brick, and cool Edison bulb hanging lights. They have lots of bar space and booths to choose from. The bartenders absolutely love their craft, they treat mixology as an art. Their passion shines through in their drinks.
They have a short cocktail list, but if you tell them what you like they can shake you up anything you can dream of. They have a great assortment of spirits, homemade bitters and syrups, and fresh ingredients. Be adventurous and step into the world of exciting syrups and bitters. If you let them they will make you cocktail tailored to your mood. Try this place !!

I’ve only been to Tavern on 1^st once, but I thoroughly enjoyed the visit. They have booths and bar seats. Just off the bar is a small private room that can be reserved for events. It’s not a super large space but does have multiple nice wood tables and stools. My favorite part of this bar is that the walls are lined with old photographs from around Birmingham. It looks like the era of the photographs ranges some, but many contain actual people in their historic outfits instead of just city landmarks. The bar is nice but it doesn’t take long before people are lined up 2 – 3 deep waiting on a drink, so you may want to get in line towards the end of your beverage on a busy night.

The cocktails are superb! The Basil Smash is a must try. Our bartendar was very friendly and knowledgeable. I will definitely return.

Birmingham’s downtown scene is getting better and better. Each time I’m in town, I discover a new mixology bar. This time, my family and I tried the Tavern on 1^st.
It’s a hometown spot with a flair for flavorful and creative drinks. They make their whiskey sours with egg whites, so that is a huge plus. They’re in a transition stage, so a few drinks might be rotating on and off the menu. This is perfect for foodies and taste experts, or at least people who call themselves those things. If you don’t like a drink, let the bar know, and they’ll do all they can to doctor it up for you.
I’m definitely adding to this my Bham hideouts. It’s a cool bar with an old fashioned twist.