Our Neighborhood Grill
Billy’s Sports Grill is our Liberty Park favorite.
By Jan Walsh
Billy’s has been a neighborhood favorite since 1979 when it opened in its original, former location in English Village. “Our Billy’s” is located on Overton Road at the 459 Exit to Liberty Park. It is a convenient spot for lunch, dinner, happy hour, and live music on the covered patio for residents of Liberty Park and surrounding Mountain Brook.
Billy’s is for everyone. Inside boasts big screen television views on every wall. So, it is also the perfect spot for game watching. Today there are ladies lunching here, guys who work together on lunch break, families with children, and seated beside us are four of Vestavia’s finest, VPD. I thank them for keeping us safe and am happy to have Birmingham Restaurants pick up their tab, which prompts a discussion of their favorite restaurants.
From the menu’s starters and sharables we begin with Cheese Sticks, Fried Olives, and their Award Winning Wings. We pair the apps with a frozen margarita and brew on tap. The man-sized cheese sticks, so large I would call them logs rather than sticks, are house made and hand cut, and hand breaded. Golden, plump, and oozing with melted Mozzarella, they are served with a side of tangy marinara sauce. Highly recommended! The fried olives are also scratch made and a long time favorite of mine. Bits of black olives are covered in Mozzarella, seasoned, hand battered and fried to perfection. And a side of buttermilk ranch adds another layer of creaminess to these delightful cheese and olive balls. 10 chicken wings are cooked to perfection and tossed in mild or hot sauce, served with celery and a choice of ranch or blue cheese. Moist and marvelous, these meaty wings are deserving of their acclaim.
Although Billy’s sandwiches are tried and true. Yet seeing today’s special soup is Spicy Gumbo, I pair it with a Greek Salad, and Kev decides to try the Ribeye. The big bowl of thick gumbo, chock full of goodness, is topped with rice rather than filled with it, which I appreciate. My superb salad is a large bed of lettuce layered with pungent textures: feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, black olives, red onions, and pepperoncini peppers. The 10-ounce ribeye is grilled to order and topped with a generous helping of burgundy mushrooms and a choice of two sides, his selections of mashed potatoes and grilled veggies. The steak is tender and juicy. The mashed potatoes are creamy and comforting. And the grilled veggies are bursting with freshness.
For dessert we share house made fresh daily Banana Pudding, and pair it with hot and cold, adult beverages, Irish Coffee and Mudslide.
The pudding does not overdo wafers, leaving room for more heavenly, creamy bananas and pudding. My Irish hubby says the coffee balances a strong brew with the alcohol, which includes Kahlua and Baileys, allowing the coffee to shine through. And the tall, cold mudslide, made with Billy’s creamy old fashioned ice cream, is bigger and better than any you will find at the beach!
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