Helen

The story

Helen | Contemporary Southern Grill in Birmingham, AL – Michelin Recommended

A Contemporary Southern Grill in Birmingham

Helen, located in a restored 1920s shotgun-style building in downtown Birmingham, is a contemporary Southern grill led by Chef Rob McDaniel and his wife, Emily. The restaurant opened in 2020 and has quickly become a fixture in the city’s dining scene, earning recognition from the MICHELIN Guide.

The inspiration for Helen comes from Rob’s memories of cooking over the hardwood coals and smoke of his grandmother’s indoor grill. That spirit is alive in the open kitchen, where prime meats and seafood are cooked over coals, and the menu changes with the seasons, drawing on the best from local purveyors. The space itself balances timeless elegance with a convivial atmosphere, a project the McDaniels undertook with local artisans—iron workers, wood workers, and other craftspeople—to create a warm, engaging setting for celebration.

Chef Rob McDaniel, a Haleyville, Alabama native, learned Southern cooking in his grandmothers’ kitchens. He earned a degree in hotel and restaurant management from Auburn University and trained at the New England Culinary Institute. His career includes time cooking alongside respected chefs like Chris Hastings and Drew Robinson, and he was the opening executive chef of SpringHouse Restaurant on Lake Martin. At Helen, his philosophy centers on honoring the land and the people who steward it, with a focus on seasonality and open-fire cooking. Emily McDaniel, a Birmingham native, handles business operations across Helen and their newer concept, Bayonet, a seafood and raw bar.

The menu at Helen is designed for sharing, with generous portions served over multiple courses. The cuisine is best described as American Contemporary, rooted in the South but not bound by tradition. Dishes might include warm angel biscuits with whipped cane syrup butter, smoked fish dip with Aleppo chili, or a collard green Caesar salad. From the land, air, and sea, offerings range from a 22-ounce dry-aged Kansas City strip to smoked Joyce Farms half chicken and Gulf red snapper a la plancha. The kitchen’s focus on hardwood coals and smoke is evident throughout.

The restaurant occupies two stories, with an open kitchen anchoring the downstairs dining room and a steel-and-glass wine cellar upstairs. Two distinct bars offer a thoughtful wine list and creative cocktails. The team, led by Director of Operations Daniel Goslin and General Manager Seth Dunagan, is committed to warm, intentional service. Chef de Cuisine Jason Davis, a Birmingham native and CIA graduate, works alongside Pastry Chef Candace Foster, who creates desserts like the vanilla bean cheesecake with macerated blueberries.

Helen is a place to gather, share a meal, and linger at the table. Its recognition by the MICHELIN Guide reflects the care and craft that go into every detail, from the wood-fired cooking to the hospitality.