180 Main St., Suite 200, Patton Creek, Hoover, 985-7785
5071 Pinnacle Square, Trussville (just off U.S. 11), 655-6008
www.cajunsteamer.com
Outdoor seating available. Full bar. Wide variety of Cajun dishes with a lively atmosphere and friendly service, according to City Scene review. In addition to steamed seafood, there are salads, po-boys, fried seafood, a variety of entrees, and Cajun specialties such as Boudin, gumbo, and crawfish etouffee.

191 Main St., Patton Creek Shopping Center, Hoover
733-2002
www.firebirdsrockymountaingrill.com
This is a small, Charlotte-based chain of about a dozen locations featuring bold southwest flavors incorporated with aged steaks, chicken, and pizza. The 7,000-square-foot restaurant features the ambiance of a Colorado ski lodge with an open-air kitchen, large exposed high wooden beams and an expansive fireplace in the bar area.

2341 Hwy. 150, Suite 119, Hoover (north of I-459, near intersection with Shades Crest Rd.)
982-7797
City Scene 2007 review found the food inexpensive and good but the atmosphere chaotic. They do crawfish "better than anybody else." Soups were "terrific," fried oysters "the best ever." Mashed potato side was "the only miss of the evening." But it took forever to get seated; "the seafood was fried, boiled, grilled or blackened, but we were steamed." Almost nothing came out together.

3340 Galleria Circle (Hoover)
982-0144
www.michaelssteaksandseafood.com
Michael's used to be a downtown institution, but we have not tried it since it was re-incarnated a few years ago. They serve lunch and dinner, with classic old-style cuts like prime rib, delmonico and steer butt, plus seafood entrees such as ancho-crusted tilabpia, citrus-grilled mahi mahi over grilled grit cakes, shrimp and grits, seafood risotto, and several other entrees plus burgers and sandwiches. Serving lunch and dinner.