Highest-rated restaurants in Tuscaloosa by diners

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we’ve seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven’t been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.

Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Tuscaloosa, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.

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#30. Ajian

– Rating: 4.0/5 (85 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 1914 University Blvd. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Sushi Bars, Asian Fusion
– Read more on Yelp

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#29. Mellow Mushroom Tuscaloosa

– Rating: 4.0/5 (81 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 557 20th Ave. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Desserts, Salad, Pizza
– Read more on Yelp

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#28. Southern Ale House

– Rating: 4.0/5 (161 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 1530 Mcfarland Blvd. North Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Southern
– Read more on Yelp

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#27. Broadway Pizzeria

– Rating: 4.0/5 (53 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 5400 McFarland Blvd. East Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Pizza, Italian, Salad
– Read more on Yelp

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#26. Central Mesa

– Rating: 4.0/5 (181 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 519 Greensboro Ave. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: American, Latin American, Cocktail Bars
– Read more on Yelp

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#25. Evangeline’s

– Rating: 4.0/5 (77 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 1653 McFarland Blvd. North Ste G4-A Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: New American
– Read more on Yelp

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#24. Nick’s Original Filet House

– Rating: 4.0/5 (120 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 4018 Culver Road Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Steakhouses, American
– Read more on Yelp

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#23. Slim Chickens

– Rating: 4.0/5 (32 reviews)
– Address: 685 Skyland Blvd. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Southern, American, Comfort Food
– Read more on Yelp

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#22. UPerk

– Rating: 4.0/5 (48 reviews)
– Address: 405 20th Ave. Ste 2 Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
– Read more on Yelp

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#21. Just Love Coffee Cafe – Tuscaloosa

– Rating: 4.0/5 (59 reviews)
– Address: 2531 University Blvd. Ste 100 Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
– Read more on Yelp

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#20. Thai Basil Sushi II of Tuscaloosa

– Rating: 4.0/5 (29 reviews)
– Address: 1402 University Blvd. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Thai
– Read more on Yelp

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#19. Red Bowl Asian Bistro

– Rating: 4.0/5 (45 reviews)
– Address: 311 Merchants Walk Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Asian Fusion
– Read more on Yelp

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#18. Ichiban Japanese Grill

– Rating: 4.0/5 (84 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 2128 Univeristy Blvd. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
– Read more on Yelp

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#17. Mr. Chen’s Authentic Chinese Cooking & Oriental Market

– Rating: 4.5/5 (182 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 514 14th St. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Chinese, Asian Fusion
– Read more on Yelp

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#16. Foosackly’s

– Rating: 4.5/5 (36 reviews)
– Address: 405 15th St. East Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Chicken Shop
– Read more on Yelp

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#15. Brick & Spoon – Tuscaloosa

– Rating: 4.5/5 (184 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 2318 4th St. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
– Read more on Yelp

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#14. River

– Rating: 4.5/5 (263 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 1650 Jack Warner Pkwy Northeast Unit 1005 Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Southern, Bars, Venues & Event Spaces
– Read more on Yelp

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#13. Chicken Salad Chick

– Rating: 4.5/5 (33 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 1800 McFarland Blvd. Unit 308 Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Sandwiches, Chicken Shop, Southern
– Read more on Yelp

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#12. Cravings

– Rating: 4.5/5 (118 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 2320 University Blvd. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Beer, Wine & Spirits, Bagels, Breakfast & Brunch
– Read more on Yelp

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#11. Manna Grocery & Deli

– Rating: 4.5/5 (40 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 2350 McFarland Blvd. East Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Grocery, Delis, Breakfast & Brunch
– Read more on Yelp

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#10. TuscNY

– Rating: 4.5/5 (29 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 229 McFarland Cir North Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Pizza, Desserts, Salad
– Read more on Yelp

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#9. Heritage House Coffee & Tea

– Rating: 4.5/5 (60 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 2370 Jack Warner Pkwy Ste A 108 Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
– Read more on Yelp

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#8. Urban Bar & Kitchen

– Rating: 4.5/5 (154 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 2321 University Blvd. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: American, Burgers, Cocktail Bars
– Read more on Yelp

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#7. Lee Palace

– Rating: 4.5/5 (27 reviews)
– Address: 9770 Highway 69 South Ste G Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Chinese, Noodles, Soup
– Read more on Yelp

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#6. Urban Cookhouse

– Rating: 4.5/5 (115 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 1490 Northbank Pkwy Ste 110 Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Southern, American, Wraps
– Read more on Yelp

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#5. Fuku Ramen

– Rating: 4.5/5 (118 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 1800 McFarland Blvd. East Ste 420 Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Ramen, Bubble Tea, Noodles
– Read more on Yelp

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#4. Heritage House Coffee & Tea

– Rating: 4.5/5 (83 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 700 Towncenter Blvd. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
– Read more on Yelp

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#3. King’s Kitchen

– Rating: 4.5/5 (28 reviews)
– Address: 501 Hargrove Road East Ste A1 Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Southern, American, Tapas/Small Plates
– Read more on Yelp

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#2. Avenue Pub – Tuscaloosa

– Rating: 4.5/5 (519 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 2230 University Blvd. Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Salad, Cocktail Bars, Burgers
– Read more on Yelp

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#1. Antojitos Izcalli

– Rating: 5.0/5 (177 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 623 Hargrove Road East Tuscaloosa, Alabama
– Categories: Mexican
– Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.