Ever since I first moved to Birmingham in 2003, I have had a love affair with Eddies. From the John…read moreBright Street venue (sadly burned down and now redeveloped) to the temp relocation to the Newt (the worst incarnation of the venue) and then to Gough Street and it's current home at the Tunnel Club; it has always been a part of my life. When it was announced that the Gough Street venue had been sold by the owners; I was gutted. Where else would I get my fix of alternative music, cheap drinks and lovely locals on a Friday night? Luckily, the Tunnel Club stepped in and gallantly provided a new home for this weekend institution. I hadn't managed to make the opening night or the many weekends following, but on Friday the wonderful Squeaky F. was hitting the decks and it was Gem R's Birthday; so it was finally time to see if the club had retained it's rock cave charms. I am pleased to say it has (and it might just be better than ever). The Tunnel Club (as the name suggests) is a warren of a venue. On the night I was there only 3 of the rooms were open, but on a busier Saturday night more of the club is available to explore. I was never a regular at Subway City before the name change (so I can't really remember what it used to be like), but I love the layout of the rooms and the vibe of the venue is perfect for a dirty rock night. The bar is stupidly cheap. A pint of Somersby Cider was £1.50 and spirits and mixer were being sold for £1.40 a go. There is a humble selection of spirits, beers and alcopops on offer and the bar staff were friendly and helpful (telling us what brand their house spirits are allowing me to avoid a very nasty Saturday morning). Friday and Saturday nights vary in the venue now. From the hugely popular goth/rock/metal genres to the EBM nights, you have to keep an eye on their webpage to be up on whats on; but many of the old favourites are still going. The sound was a little off and on on the Friday, but that's something I have come to expect from Eddies over the years. I am so pleased that despite the venue moves, fires and various hardships the club has experienced; Eddies still continues to soldier on. I am a fan of the new venue and hope it continues to be a haunt of the rock community in Birmingham for years to come.

When Eddies announced at the start of June that they would be closing their doors due to a 'change…read morein ownership' of the 'property', a lot of their fans were very disappointed and the response to the announcement was phenomenal. However, the club did not remain closed for long - Colin, its owner, found a new venue in The Tunnel Club on Livery Street, which is where Subway City used to call home. I had been to the Tunnel Club once before, but it was years ago and during a Subway City night. I must admit I didn't enjoy that evening - I hardly recognised any of the music and when I did, it was generally awful (Oasis comes to mind). Consequently, I wasn't sure whether to go to Eddies' re-opening night on the 5th of July, but a few friends and I decided to go and check it out anyway. The club was nothing like what I remembered - as you walk in there is an entrance hall with a seating area and there are some stairs up to a bar with yet another seating area. If you don't take those stairs and go straight ahead instead, you get to the main dance floor, which is massive! There is a balcony all the way round for those who like to survey the room, with seats if you are tired and films for entertainment. There is also a stage, for those who like to show off their dance moves (not me, I might add!). Off to the right from the main dance floor is a set of stairs up to the hair metal room (as I call it - I think it's the 70s/80s metal room?) and off to the left is the goth room. Behind the goth room is yet another seating area. All in all, there is oodles of space and the inclusion of two smoking areas makes sure that there is plenty to explore! It's a little disorientating to start with but I quickly got used to the layout. Just beware of those hidden steps that you can't spot in the dark! The music was pretty good all night, with the main room playing the usual rock mainstays, upstairs catering for those who like their vintage metal and the goth room playing a nice mix of trad and EBM. Everything you could want from a single alternative club, all under one roof. My only complaints are that the club has a distinct smell of damp (quickly goes once you've had a few though!) and the sound upstairs wasn't great - others who like that style of music said they could hardly distinguish one track from another. However, making up for that is the masses of space, the labyrinth to explore with many seating areas for those with sore feet and toilets which were a unexpectedly quite posh! Oh and I forgot about the drinks offers - £1.40 for a house spirit and coke, not bad at all. The opening night ended up being great, perhaps a little overly busy but that should die down in time. Will this new venue stand the test of time? Only one way to find out...

This is a real toughie to list as it's a secret speakeasy bar in the Jewellery Quarter. To say too…read moremuch about it would ruin the mystique, but I'll give you as much as I can without spoilers... The site office is located in the Jewellery Quarter. If you would like more information on how to access it, drop me a message and I would be happy to guide you, but they don't broadcast their location widely (to keep it interesting). Once you are on the text list, you will get a notification when they are open and the password to get in. When you have found the magical doorway, you knock and a face pops out of a peep hole... To gain access you have to have the password (I'm honestly not making this up). You will be guided by your host through a secret doorway into the bar below. It's worth noting that the bar doesn't accept cash or card - it's done via a ticket system (where you pay for your drinks in advance on a punch card). The downstairs bar is basic, but pretty fabulous. Barely lit with a mishmash of furniture scattered around and DJ, it's an underground cavern of boozy wonder. The opening hours and days are sporadic (so it's tough to plan a night out here), but it normally opens on selected Friday's and Saturdays from 10pm.

I'm clearly not cool enough for this venue!…read more All a big shushy secret and I'm normally the sort of person who takes 10 photos while I'm standing around waiting for friends to appear. It was difficult to avoid using social media while waiting. A secret entrance, a musty staircase and candle lit rooms make up this venue, It's a "no cash" bar and can buy a card at the door for £20 which will give you 4 stamps for drinks. Most regular drinks are worth 1 stamp which is a little steep which is why it's not a five star venue to me. The staff were however really lovely! This is Invite only and I was invited I was also given a password to get in. So Good Luck!

Quiz nights are here every Monday night from 8:30 pm until about 11 pm. It is 2 quid per person,…read moreand the winning team gets 50 pounds! This place gets packed so I try to get there by 8 to have a table for my team. The staff here are very friendly and fast! Even with a full pub, I've never waited more than a minute or two to order a drink. The location is clean and dimly lit - but in a good way. The atmosphere is always nice and welcoming even when in competition! The bathrooms are also clean. There's a reason we're there almost every Monday

The Actress & Bishop is a real institution in Birmingham. It has that traditional pub feeling with…read morea real connection to Brums live music community. I have been coming here for literally years now. In my early student days a very young me would be down the front of the gig room getting sweaty to a mates band, when I visit now however it is much more if a civilised affair usually with food on the terrace or a pint downstairs. Its great to see so much still going on here, the venue still has strong following and keeps providing young Birmingham acts and bands with a stage to play on. Well done Actress & Bishop!

Had a great meal, mixed meat platter. Great quality and…read morereasonable price October 2021

I was in Birmingham for a night last month (hurray for cheap flights). I was at my hostel and…read morestarted wondering "is there a dish/food Birmingham is known for?" Well Google told me about balti, some kind of Indian curry dish. I love curry so I wanted to give balti a try. Hen and Chickens came up when I was looking for a restaurant serving Balti, and it was close to my hostel. Outside looks like a typical pub. Inside it's not a huge pub/restaurant, but the high ceiling and big windows let in lots of light (even in December) and makes it feel nice and open. I was there in mid-afternoon and it wasn't too busy. I ordered the lamb balti with garlic naan. I also got a pint of beer. The food was delicious. Apparently balti just refers to the type of dish the curry is cooked in, but I also read that it's a curry made with vegetable oil (rather than ghee). I'm a bit lactose intolerant and sometimes curries can give me issues. Maybe it's because balti is apparently made with veg oil, but I had no issues. The curry had a nice spice, but wasn't overwhelming. Staff was nice. Food was great. This looks like nothing special on the outside, but inside there's some really great Indian food. If I'm in Birmingham again I'd definitely come back here.

Went here as it was located by the Hilton Hampton I was staying in and decided to have some wings…read morebefore I went to the cinema. The wings were supposed to be sticky with franks hot sauce. They were sticky but I detected no franks at all. They tasted like a sweet teriyaki sauce out of a bottle. No hint of spice or seasoning. Not for me. The decor is an odd collection of things and there is no flow or singular theme. Its definitely more a student type dive bar look and interestingly they were having a fresher party later that evening I subsequently found out. good selection of beer and cocktails. Waiting staff - friendly enough but I asked for the sauce on the side and when it was delivered it wasn't and when I asked the waiter about this he said the chef couldn't do it because its cooked in the sauce. Clearly not true as the wings were fried first. No offer to take them back or even bother to tell me in the first place so I might order something else. Good for a drink if you are walking by or staying in the Hampton Hilton on Broad Street (which I do recommend as staff are the friendliest I have ever experienced and very clean hotel) but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. Come for the drinks and go elsewhere for the eats!

As far as Broad Street goes, Oh Velvet is one of the less glamorous destinations come the weekend…read more Throughout the week, you can be assured that there will be countless people having a drink during the day, but come the evening, it seems to be a different story. Mainly considered to be a club, over the past few years Oh Velvet has transformed into what was once an extremeley popular night out, to a so-so bar/pub that fails to attract any big crowds on an evening. Saving grace perhaps for Oh Velvet could be its extremely cheap prices, a pint of Carlsberg for example costs just £2. This however doesn't seem to encourage party-goers to attend, the majority of whom are willing to spend that little bit extra in order to get, well, that little bit extra.

Rough and ready the gate is a no frills 'dive bar' just off Ladypool Road. There's a big screen for…read morethe footie, a jukebox I've never heard on and a pool table for your entertainment. There is a large function room at the back but it rarely gets used. Snack wise crisps, nuts and pork crunch are on offer but the bar staff don't seem to mind the locals bringing in the odd samosa from the nearby takeaways on Ladypool Road. The punters are regulars and friendly - as long as you don't get in the way of the footie. There's plenty of banter and the language can be colourful. Try to avoid the loos - they're not too nice!

I went to the Gate Inn last year to talk about an interview we were planning on Britain in the 60s…read morecompared to nowadays. We had a lovely meeting and I must say the place is nothing like it was a few years ago. I was dreading the mouldy toilets with peeling paint, The sticky floor was one of the bad memories from years ago. Happy to say this has all changed. We went there last week and not only is there very friendly staff but the whole place looks and feels more pleasant. There is a chef who cooks up some delicious meals. The bar staff are accommodating. The tables had cloths on. It was Muhammed Alis Funeral that got us there. From early evening to 3am next day, we watched the videos (off the phone) of the whole proceedings - the funeral on Thursday and the celebration of the Champs' life on Friday. We discussed what Muhammed Ali meant to us whilst eating chicken and chips, curry goat and rice, naan bread and cheese. We also discussed future events including a drop in for homeless people, karaoke, natural living fair, swissing, table top sale and bookings for events like Birthday Parties and Celebration of life. The big screen and pool table are still there. There's an accessible door near the lounge and we are looking forward to some entertainment over the next few months.

amazing service, Imogen was great, kept the drinks coming, great atmosphere, the amount of…read moredifferent Drinks were fabulous, service by Imogen was outstanding, we weren't from around here and give the best advice of where to go after, highly recommend coming here!!

Excellent atmosphere, not as pricey as the other guy says…read more Great djs, friendly crowd and open really late! Best bar in Burton.

Place with a decent atmosphere, and it looked quite nice too. Enjoyed the distinction between the…read moretwo public pars, being the shallow end and the deep end. Music was alright. Abbeydale Moonshine was the only beer option, but if you only have one, this is a pretty decent one! Used to be owned by Nick Banks of Pulp.

Kicked out after working at the establishment for seven years and being close friends with all of…read morethe regulars / most long-serving members of staff for briefly touching a bottle of Baileys that my mate was pouring. Thoroughly disgusted at my poor treatment at a venue I have been loyal to and never had any problems at before. Door staff were as bewildered as I was. If you want to visit a fairly managed pub, I'd steer well clear.

Not bad for late night drinks when you're in Oxford, UK. It's an old Jamaican restaurant that is…read morenow, atleast it appeared this way, just a bar where you can get completely blitzed and if you feel so inclined, imbibe your way into the wee hours of the morning (4 - 5 am). I was here with some friends during my vacation and we really enjoyed ourselves. It reminded me a lot of some dive bars here around home, just slightly pricier.

I would give this place 4 stars if it wasnt for the afore mentioned crazyyyyyyyyyyy owners. Boy are…read morethey weird... which is why you should visit here! But please do not go for a romantic or serious meal, as you may catch them on a ''off'' nite haha. Obviously, this is a jamaican serving all things jamaican sounding...chicken with this...chicken with that...:) No the food is good. The atmosphere is also good when the rasta man is feeling friendly. He will sit and chat with you and make jokes which is good fun, but go here early ... before he is drunk..or something similar. The earlier you can go in the evening the better :) I have never found them utterly rude but it can make for an uncomfortable dinner when they are screaming lol. This place is perfect for a novelty nite out tho, or if you are in a group. The prices are very reasonable too!

This is such an awesome bar! The fact that one exists in the midlands is fab! The atmosphere is…read moregreat as is the decor. The food in the bird cage is cute and the drinks. The drinks. Wow. The Chocolate martini is dangerous, doesn't taste alcoholic whatsoever. Music is catered for those that love old school r n b! No complaints here!