The Southern Table

Stopped by Southern Table in Athens for a mimosa and a light meal and left thoroughly impressed. The restaurant sits right beside the courthouse square, with convenient street and square parking nearby. Inside, the atmosphere is calm and refined, with quiet, subtle music playing in the background that makes it easy to relax and enjoy the experience. Owned and managed by Ryan Yokley and Keri Golden, Southern Table has been part of the Athens dining scene since December 2023 and truly feels like a hidden gem. The owners are enthusiastic, hands-on, and clearly take pride in the restaurant—and the staff speaks very highly of them, which shows in the overall culture and service. The service staff were outstanding: attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful throughout the visit. I ordered a

The Southern Table is elevated Southern done right. Thoughtful, welcoming, and rooted without being dated. I’ve been writing about food for 17 years, and returning to my home state is made easier, and honestly more joyful, because of restaurants like this. It’s the kind of place that understands hospitality as much as flavor. You can feel the intention in the room and on the plate. Under Talented Chef Ryan Yokley, the menu strikes that rare balance of comfort and polish. And the shrimp and grits? The best I’ve had. Full stop. North Alabama is lucky to have this place.

The place is beautiful, but I feel like the prices I paid just weren't worth it. My fish was more breading than fish and the menu didn't state the brussel sprouts had blue cheese. I just wasn't impressed with the quality for how much I spent. This feels like they can't decide between being cracker barrel adjacent or fine dining... The portions were decent, but left wishing I had gone somewhere else or ordered something different.

Fabulous food! I ate blackened catfish with garlic cheese grit and green beans that were kissed by the grill. My wife had the tomahawk pork chop she said it was delicious. I also had the appetizer lamb chops. Total of four with two different sauces on sets of two. My family has been raving about this place for months!! It didn’t disappoint!

First time going for dinner and it was really good. The special tonight sounded real good but I couldn't pass up the pork chop after the wood roasted oysters. Overall the food was great and Will was a great waiter. He was able to answer our questions about the menu and was very attentive on refilling our drinks.