Highest-rated Southern restaurants in Montgomery by diners

When you travel below the Mason-Dixon Line, you’ll find some of the most mouthwatering, comforting cuisine in the U.S.: Southern food.

Southern dishes are a vital part of American cuisine, from hush puppies to ham hocks and beignets to barbecue. It’s impossible to define a classic Southern meal, but a solid one starts with the sharp savory flavor of pimento cheese dip, followed by the delicious crunchiness of fried chicken or a spicy Louisiana étouffée, culminating with a sugary slice of chess pie that’s best washed down with a tall glass of sweet tea.

What’s unique about Southern fare is that multiple ethnic and cultural groups have influenced it. Spanish staples, such as potatoes and cocoa, are in many Southern dishes; the Acadians, who traveled to Louisiana from Nova Scotia and later became Louisiana Creoles, contributed their seafood to many Southern meals; African ingredients—okra, sorghum (an ancient grain), and black-eyed peas—became a part of the cuisine through the forced labor of enslaved people; French cooking methods, like braising and sautéing, are used for many Southern recipes; and Native Americans introduced corn to Southern recipes, yielding dishes like succotash and grits.

The Southern culinary scene is an explosion of cultures. To find out where you can sample some Southern offerings, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated Southern restaurants in Montgomery using data from Yelp. Data is as of June 11, 2024. Businesses were selected using Yelp’s ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only restaurants with at least 10 reviews were considered. In an effort to highlight independent restaurants and local chains, restaurants with more than five locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.

Read on to find the perfect spot to get a taste of the South near you.

Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific restaurants listed or the dishes they serve.

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#19. BB King’s Blues Club

– Rating: 3.2/5 (48 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 1801 Eddie L Tullis Road Wind Creek Casino Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: barbeque, bars, southern
– Read more on Yelp

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#18. Jim ‘N Nick’s

– Rating: 3.3/5 (169 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 6415 Atlanta Hwy Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: barbeque, southern, sandwiches
– Read more on Yelp

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#17. The House Restaurant

– Rating: 3.3/5 (62 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 201 Tallapoosa St. Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: southern
– Read more on Yelp

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#16. Yellowhammer Bistro

– Rating: 3.5/5 (43 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 7725 Averiett Drive Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: southern, burgers, sandwiches
– Read more on Yelp

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#15. Kinsmith

– Rating: 3.8/5 (25 reviews)
– Address: 116 Coosa St. Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: southern, breakfast & brunch, cocktail bars
– Read more on Yelp

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#14. Peyton’s Place

– Rating: 3.9/5 (17 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 5336 Atlanta Hwy Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: southern
– Read more on Yelp

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#13. Farmers Market Cafe

– Rating: 3.9/5 (22 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 315 North McDonough St. Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: southern, breakfast & brunch, cafes
– Read more on Yelp

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#12. Pannie-George’s

– Rating: 3.9/5 (75 reviews)
– Address: 450 North Court St. Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: southern
– Read more on Yelp

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#11. Little Donkey Mexican Restaurant – Montgomery

– Rating: 4.1/5 (282 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 7720 Eastchase Pkwy Ste B1 Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: mexican, southern
– Read more on Yelp

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#10. Martin’s Restaurant

– Rating: 4.1/5 (153 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 1796 Carter Hill Road Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: southern, new american
– Read more on Yelp

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#9. Itta Bena

– Rating: 4.1/5 (24 reviews)
– Address: 1801 Eddie L Tullis Road Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: southern, soup, cocktail bars
– Read more on Yelp

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#8. Cahawba House

– Rating: 4.2/5 (248 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 31 South Court St. Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: southern, sandwiches, breakfast & brunch
– Read more on Yelp

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#7. Martha’s Place

– Rating: 4.3/5 (103 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 7730 Atlanta Hwy Somerset Shopping Center Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: buffets, soul food, southern
– Read more on Yelp

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#6. Filet & Vine

– Rating: 4.4/5 (223 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 431 Cloverdale Road Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: sandwiches, southern
– Read more on Yelp

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#5. Mrs B’s Home Cooking

– Rating: 4.5/5 (278 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 415 Airbase Blvd. Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: soul food, southern
– Read more on Yelp

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#4. Stockyard Grill

– Rating: 4.5/5 (85 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 4500 Mobile Hwy Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: new american, southern, burgers
– Read more on Yelp

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#3. Joe’s Again Buffalo Wings & Rib City

– Rating: 4.5/5 (115 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 654 West Fairview Ave. Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: southern, barbeque
– Read more on Yelp

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#2. J. W. Beverette’s Soul Food

– Rating: 4.6/5 (99 reviews)
– Address: 1172 South Decatur St. Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: southern, soul food
– Read more on Yelp

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#1. Yaadbak International Eatery

– Rating: 4.8/5 (10 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 232 West Fred D Gray Ave. Montgomery, Alabama
– Categories: southern, caribbean
– Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Rasha Aly, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 143 metros.