From Nation's Restaurant News · · 1m
Bayonet's unexpected seafood delights
Birmingham's Bayonet restaurant mixes familiar Gulf seafood with surprising twists for a unique dining experience.
In brief
Birmingham's Bayonet restaurant mixes familiar Gulf seafood with surprising twists for a unique dining experience. Bayonet restaurant in Birmingham, Alabama offers 20 types of oysters and creative seafood dishes like swordfish pastrami Reuben that blend approachable and adventurous flavors. Originally reported by…
Bayonet's surprising origin
Bayonet started as a waiting area for chef Rob McDaniel's southern grill restaurant next door but became a larger space due to location restrictions.
“A lot of people associate [bayonet] with a sword, but it’s actually a Spanish bayonet plant that we named the restaurant after”
Unexpected seafood menu
The restaurant features 20 types of oysters including familiar Alabama varieties and lesser-known Washington Kumamotos.
“Eating oysters has long been a part of the region’s food culture”
Creative seafood dishes
Bayonet offers swordfish pastrami Reuben and yellowfin tuna burger alongside adventurous options like octopus and crudo.
“We have a lobster roll that we just put on, and it’s gone over very well”
Oyster experience
Diners discover oyster terroir through a mix of familiar and unfamiliar varieties that create an 'aha' moment.
“You get a totally different experience, and you understand the terroir or merroir of oysters”
Fish preparation
Sous chefs break down whole tuna and swordfish at the raw bar for diners to watch.
“One of our sous chefs breaks down all of our fish when we get whole tuna in or whole swordfish”
Dining experience
The restaurant combines visual entertainment with familiar and adventurous dishes for a complete dining experience.
“We talk more and more today about people going out to eat, it’s more than them just going out to eat”
The short version
Bayonet restaurant in Birmingham, Alabama offers 20 types of oysters and creative seafood dishes like swordfish pastrami Reuben that blend approachable and adventurous flavors.
