Things to Do in Five Points South Birmingham AL: Local Guide
Birmingham, AL · The Local Guide
Stand at the center of Five Points South in Birmingham, where five streets fan out from a stone fountain, and you're a three-minute walk from a James Beard–winning kitchen, a Gulf oyster bar, and a rock club that's been gloriously loud since the Reagan years.
Most Birmingham neighborhoods make you drive between the good things. Five Points South doesn't. The whole district grew up around an 1887 streetcar junction, so it's built like a little European quarter — a plaza in the middle, storefronts leaning in close, everything walkable from a single parking spot. Here's how a local spends a day and a night here, from the fountain to the last round.
01 — Start HereThe fountain and the plaza
Every visit begins at the same landmark. Frank Fleming's bronze sculpture — officially The Storyteller, though everyone just calls it the ram fountain — sits dead center where 20th Street South, 11th Avenue South and Magnolia Avenue collide into that five-pointed star the neighborhood is named for. A ram-headed man reads a book to a circle of frogs, rabbits and turtles. It's been the district's meeting spot since 1992, and it's the easiest place to orient yourself before you wander.
The Storyteller Fountain
Sculptor Frank Fleming unveiled the piece in 1992. Half the fun is watching first-timers realize the ram is reading aloud to the animals. Behind it, tiny Brother Bryan Park gives you a shaded bench and a second statue to find.
02 — The Big OneDinner at Highlands
You can't write honestly about this neighborhood without starting at the top. Highlands Bar & Grill, Frank Stitt's flagship since 1982, took home the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Restaurant award in 2018 after nearly a decade as a bridesmaid finalist. The menu braids rustic French technique into deep Southern ingredients, and the room still feels like the most grown-up seat in the city.
Highlands Bar & Grill
Reservations open a month out and the prime slots vanish fast. If you didn't plan ahead, don't sulk — the bar is the move.
03 — The BistroChez Fonfon next door
Two doors down, Stitt's Chez Fonfon is the loose, lamp-lit French bistro to Highlands' white tablecloth. It's been packing a well-heeled crowd since 2000 with steak frites, escargot, duck confit and a French 75 that arrives cold enough to fog the glass. There's a small courtyard, a proper zinc-style bar, and a bocce court out back if the wait runs long.
Chez Fonfon
Closed Sunday and Monday, so aim mid-week or Saturday. The steak frites is the order most tables regret not getting, and the pommes frites alone are worth the walk.
04 — OystersA dozen on ice at Ocean
A block over on 20th Street South, Ocean has been Birmingham's fine-dining seafood room since George Reis opened it in 2002. Early in 2026 he passed the keys to new owner Chloe Kidd after 24 years, and the raw bar hasn't missed a beat — oysters flown in daily, a proper martini list, and the kind of dim, glowing dining room that makes a Tuesday feel like an occasion.
Ocean
Sit at the oyster bar rather than a table if it's just two of you. You'll watch the shuckers work and the pace is livelier.
05 — Around the WorldThai, pancakes and the everyday spots
Not every night is a tasting menu, and Five Points South knows it. Surin West at 1918 11th Avenue South has been the neighborhood's go-to for Thai and sushi since 1996 — the pad thai and curries are reliable, the sushi rolls are generous, and it's an easy landing spot when the group can't agree on French. For the morning after, The Original Pancake House at 1931 11th Avenue South does the apple pancake and cheese omelets that soak up a big night, usually with a short weekend wait you can time around.
This is the quiet genius of the district: white-tablecloth French, a raw bar, honest Thai and a diner-style breakfast all sit inside the same four blocks. You never have to move the car to change your mind.
“Five Points is the one Birmingham corner where you can valet-park a fine-dinner reservation and stumble into a punk show, all on the same sidewalk.”
06 — Live & LoudLate night at The Nick
Walk a few blocks toward 10th Avenue South and the mood shifts hard. The Nick — self-billed as “Birmingham's dirty little secret” — is a low-ceilinged, sticker-covered rock club that has hosted touring bands and local legends for decades. It's 21-and-up, cash is king at the bar, and the cover is cheap. This is where the night gets a little feral, in the best way.
The Nick
Check the calendar at thenickrocks.com before you go — the lineup swings from garage rock to country to punk depending on the night. Doors are late; nothing good happens before 9.
07 — The ViewVulcan at dusk
If you want to bookend the night with a view instead of a nightcap, drive five minutes up Red Mountain to Vulcan Park & Museum. The world's largest cast-iron statue — a 56-foot Roman god of the forge on a 124-foot pedestal — looks out over the whole valley, and the observation area stays open into the evening for a skyline that's worth the short climb.
Vulcan Park & Museum
Hours run into the evening most nights (Fri–Sat the latest), so a post-dinner visit works. Check visitvulcan.com for the day's tower hours, since access can shift during maintenance.
08 — Where to EatPick by craving
Short on time and just want the shortlist? Here's the district by what you're hungry for:
Special-occasion dinner: Highlands Bar & Grill for the room and the grits, or Ocean if you want oysters and a martini.
Casual French: Chez Fonfon — steak frites, a courtyard table, no fuss.
Group that can't agree: Surin West, where Thai and sushi keep everyone happy.
Morning after: The Original Pancake House for the apple pancake.
Late and loud: The Nick, for the show and the cheap cover.
09 — The PlanA perfect evening
- 5:00 p.m.Park once near the plaza and take a photo at the Storyteller fountain while the light's still gold.
- 5:30 p.m.Cocktails and baked grits at the Highlands bar, no reservation needed.
- 7:00 p.m.Walk two doors to Chez Fonfon for steak frites, or over to Ocean for a dozen on ice.
- 9:30 p.m.Head to The Nick for whoever's playing — cash, cover, and a proper Birmingham dive.
- LateEveryone home safe — no DD, no circling the plaza for a parking spot.
10 — Make It EffortlessLet us drive
Five Points South is walkable once you're there, but the parking hunt and the drive home are the two things that dull a great night. That's the gap we fill. Our 2026 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter seats up to 10 in leather comfort, self-drive or with a chauffeur, so the whole group rolls up to the fountain together and rolls home without anyone watching the clock or the wine. It works just as well for a birthday dinner as it does for an out-of-town crew exploring the city — book it through /reserve, plan a visit to Birmingham, or line up a night out for the team via /corporate-events.
Five Points South FAQ
Where do you park in Five Points South?
Metered street parking rings the plaza, and there's a public deck off Magnolia Avenue. Highlands offers valet in the evenings. The neighborhood is compact, so park once and walk everywhere — or skip it entirely and get dropped at the fountain.
Is Five Points South walkable at night?
Yes. The core dining and nightlife blocks around 20th Street South and 11th Avenue South are tight and well-trafficked in the evenings. The Nick sits a few blocks over on 10th Avenue South, an easy walk or a two-minute ride.
What's the best time to go to Five Points South?
Early evening on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Restaurant bars take walk-ins from around 4–5 p.m., you beat the 6:30 rush, and the plaza comes alive after dark. Note that Highlands, Fonfon and Ocean are closed Sundays and Mondays.
Ready to ride?
Skip the parking hunt. We'll get the whole crew to Five Points and home again.
Reserve Your Ride or call 404-259-2025