Billy's Bar and Grill

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A combination of fresh food, a lively atmosphere and astute ownership kept the original Billy’s restaurant in English Village a popular lunch and dinner spot for years after it opened in 1979. Those same ingredients are working just as well in the Liberty Park location, which has thrived since its opening in March of 2008.

Owner Terry Humphryes, an accountant, purchased Billy’s in the 1990s after finding success in the restaurant business in Orange Beach. Humphryes, whose son Paul is the VP of Operations for all the restaurants, made some key changes to Billy’s that made the restaurant what it is today.

“When Terry bought the restaurant, it had a very sandwich-type menu,” Marketing Director Leigh Ann Callaway said. “It was very limited in what it had. It had mostly bar-type food. We got our corporate chef in here and worked to revamp the menu and add several items.”

Chef Richard Showers, along with the help of Humphreys, decided to make everything on the menu fresh, meaning that Billy’s never serves frozen food. Even appetizer items such as cheese sticks, chicken fingers and onion rings are cut, battered and fried in the restaurant.

“Our food is definitely a different quality because it’s homemade,” Callaway said. “Food quality definitely sets us apart.”

The most popular item on the menu, and one that Callaway says is her favorite, is the classic chicken sandwich. The grilled marinated chicken, topped with lettuce and cheese, usually served with French fries, is the kind of simple, delicious dish for which Billy’s is known.

Other popular menu items include the Greek seafood nachos, which top shrimp and crawfish served with WonTon chips and a spinach cheese sauce; the award-winning hot wings; and the Santa Fe salad. And that’s not to mention the banana pudding.

The Liberty Park location is especially busy during the summer because of the outdoor seating and live music every Wednesday and Friday night. Billy’s is also open on Sundays, 11-3, serving brunch.

“Listen to good music and split a bottle of wine with somebody – what’s better?” Callaway said. “The patio is a great draw during the summer.”

Another busy time? Football season. Billy’s has 11 TVs in the restaurant.

“Sports are a big thing here,” Callaway said. “But it’s nice because if you don’t care about the sports, it’s not in your face. If your husband wants to watch the game, he can keep an eye on it without it being offensive. There are plenty of TVs so you definitely see what you want to see, but it’s not all over like it is at some other places.”

Billy’s welcomes young children and their parents coming from their baseball games at the ballpark, teenagers eating out, young professionals coming in after work, and everyone in between.

To see the restaurant for yourself, find it by Dairy Queen off I-459.