Looking for some American diner style breakfast/brunch spot, Seth S. and I decided to check out…read moreCelebz since another brunch place was closed. The Celebz concept is based on a kitschy stereotype of Americana with quintessential foods like burgers, waffles, fries and milkshakes. I love a good bit of kitsch but Celebz seemed to hit all the wrong notes. The blaring music, loud colors, and cold interior left me feeling like I was on Sunset Strip after a late-night bender in search of greasy garbage to cure my hangover. The vibe, encouraged by Rhianna screaming "bitch better have my money," was starkly contrasted by a grouping of families with small children. Womp womp. When placing our order we learned that the milkshake deal (+£2) advertised with the burgers only applies to the burger meal, requiring you to spend £9 for a sandwich and milkshake, with or without fries. Seth S. got the burger but skipped the milkshake and I decided to get some pancakes and twisty fries instead. Seth's burger and my fries were delivered to the table fairly quickly, but we were almost finished eating before my pancakes arrived. I was disappointed that the pancakes were crepes not American style pancakes in an American themed restaurant, but that's neither here nor there. The twisty fries were perfect - just like some of my favorite from a greasy spoon in NC. The crepe presentation was nice but the flavor underwhelming. Too much egg was used in the batter, and the egg flavor overshadowed the Belgian chocolate drizzle and strawberry filling. If you're in search of an authentic Vegas hangover cure, this is the place for you!

I am big fan of reviewing places on what they are and as an independent American diner I have to…read moregive this place five stars. Located over by Aston uni campus this place is a bit out of the way but when looking for a late night sweet myself and a friend took a wonder over here to see what it was all about. Now I know this place will not be for everyone, it's loud and in your face in terms of design with pictures of the USA and celebrities on the walls. The menu is made up of a range of popular American classics like burgers, milkshakes, pancakes, cookie dough and ice cream. We decided to go for nachos and a cookie dough dessert to share which were both surprisingly good. The nachos had the guacamole and salsa on the side instead of being all over top which is great for a condiment lover like me! The thing that I love about this place is you can easily sit a chill for a few hours eating and drinking on a quiet weekend night off the booze (dry Jan seemed like a good idea at the time) if you are looking for a place to get something sweet with a good range of options this is a great option in the city centre.

So, having had luck with recommendations from Ben C before, I thought it best I check this place…read moreout on a day in Kings Heath. Now, I was meeting Ben for lunch at Veg Out (see http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/veg-out-cafe-birmingham?hrid=GgI2cmA6RaEsO8pLKdk1Aw), I didn't actually eat here - I just grabbed a coffee to visit and soak up the ambiance (being your intrepid Yelp Community Manager). Al's Diner is just off the main stretch of Kings Heath and opposite York Road. It's easy to spot, with it's American vibe and bright red exterior. As you might guess from the name, it's got a bit of a "happy days" vibe to it. From the red and white patterned work surfaces to old school Americana prints and design touches, it's all very sweet. As I say, I just popped in for a hot drink - but I will definitely pop back in for a burger at some point! The burgers looked huge and were priced around £2.50 (without fries) making it a bargain! They also had a great selection of sweet treats on the menu at similarly reasonable prices. My coffee wasn't the best (it was served with UHT milk), but that's not why you would visit normally. I grabbed a coffee and a can of cola and I believe it came to around £2.20 - which is a bit of a steal really. I was served with a smile and felt welcome throughout my whole visit (despite taking up a whole booth just to drink my coffee and do some work). I probably wouldn't travel all the way to Kings Heath to visit, but I urge you to pop in if you are based around here. If I was down here for the day, I would 100% make a date with one of their calorific treats for lunch or dinner.

At one time I counted 12 places that you could get chicken and chips from between The Sun at The…read moreStation and The Pear Tree. It doesn't take much imagination to offer something original in the ways of fast food. Al's Diner have spotted a niche in the market and jumped right in. They serve burgers, hot dogs, milkshakes and deserts in such authentic US surroundings, (NYC print wall paper, state-side memorabilia authentic shake-bar stools) that you half expect Arthur Fonzarelli to enter stage right with a 'Hey!' and start asking 'bout Richey. This place is very popular with tweens, who have claimed it as their own space to meet, hang out and gaze out of the window while supping a shake. Others like to drop in for a pre-pub snack before hitting the High Street. Families are catered for too, and on a Friday evening they take time out from busy schedules for some quality informal dining time together. Those who believe that 'It's Dork To Eat Pork' can join in as the hot-dogs here are made with beef. In fact, the whole menu is Halal. Service with a smile comes as standard, and they'll tweak meals to suit you. There's a level of community and philanthropy going on here which is hard to beat. If you haven't got an Uncle Sam then you can find a surrogate family member in Al.

I went here with a group of friends for Sunday dinner. We just had to check out the American themed…read moremeat joint. The decor is straight out of the opening credits for Fresh Prince of Bell Air - photos of celebrities line the walls and are covered in bright colored tags of fun phrases like "YOLO". There is plenty of seating, perfect for a pair or large groups. I wasn't very hungry, so I ordered the appetizer salad with pulled pork BBQ on top and shared a side of fried pickles. I was a little disappointed in the pulled pork. Being from North Carolina (home of pulled pork BBQ in the states) and eating at a place with smoke in the name, I was expecting smoked BBQ. The pork is just roasted like what you'd expect to come on a bap and lacks the tenderness that comes with slow smoking. The BBQ sauce at the table has a nice smoke flavoring added, so I was able to drown my salad in that for an approximation of the smoky flavor I craved. The salad portion is very generous and uses fresh veg. The fried pickles need a little tempura batter mixed in with the corn meal and maybe a little more time in the fryer for a better texture.

A group of us went here as we wanted to check out the newest 'American' BBQ joint in Birmingham…read more Based on reviews of The Smoke Haus' other locations, I was pretty excited. First of all, this restaurant is HUGE. Incredibly big and spacious, with an assortment of booths and tables and a huge bar. The decor of the place is awesome-- fun pieces of americana all over the place and funky graffiti all over the walls. But the highlight of every place is the food, and well, the food was just OK. I opted for a pulled pork sandwich, and a side salad instead of fries. The pork was good (mostly because they have a fantastic BBQ sauce) but definitely didn't taste slow-cooked. The salad was served without any dressing which was a bit weird, since it was huge and mostly lettuce. By the way, portions here- GIGANTIC. Come with an empty stomach! Neat selection of American beers. I don't know. I wasn't incredibly impressed, but my meal was satisfying, and the BBQ sauce is tasty. I'll have to try a few more things on the menu...

With out a doubt, my kids favourite eating place. The food is well priced and although it take on…read morethe role similar to a service station, it is a great venue to sit and chill with a meal and doesn't feel rushed at all. Good service, and the fact that they operate a 20% discount for emergency services and armed forces is always nice. The milkshake here are rather pricey (£4-£5 range) they are made with real ice cream and are well worth the money and I recommend you give them a shot. Possibly the only restaurant for miles that sells Root Beer...my absolute favourite!

As most reviewers have said, this is a great little place to eat. Good American food in an…read moreauthentic environment. It's like a big Airstream trailer! Staff friendly, and endless coffee. God bless America!

My partner and I were welcomed at the door by two waitresses and we made a beeline for the bar for…read morecocktails. The cocktails were made speedily, and the service was OK but there was no conversation or banter from the bar attender. We were then seated at a table and decided on some starters and mains. Unfortunately I found the loaded potato skins with bacon salty and the hot sauce chicken pieces greasy. The mains beef burgers and chips were just what the doctor ordered and hit the spot. The restaurant was busy, and the waiters and waitresses were friendly and accommodating. Would I dine there again? Hmmm not in a hurry but can imagine it would be good for younger crowds to celebrate a birthday.

Went with my friend for a birthday cocktail…read more We headed straight for the bar and my friend quickly decided on a Woo Woo as its her favourite, I made this a big one as it was her birthday. Even though its not a traditional cocktail it was a bit depressing seeing it made, vodka in the glass and then a carton of fruit juice on top with ice. The barman didn't measure and I think I was only paying the extra for loads of juice and a bigger glass rather than I better quick to it. It taste 'watered down'. I on the other hand got my myself a 'short cocktail' also not measured but it was perfect and well blended. Mine was a Cherry Stag - "Jim Bean Black Cherry infused bourbon shaken with amaretto, bols cherry brandy and lemon juice" It was brilliant and with a cherry on top. I know my friend wasn't adventurous in her cocktail choice but I think it could have been better done especially considering hers was more expensive.

OMG this is the real deal Anyone who loves 50's/rockabilly and a great time head to this wonderful…read morediner in Derbyshire The food is wonderful, burgers that are thick and meaty, and if you love fries you get a whole bucket full here, the choice of milkshakes are amazing ( try the resses cup one) and be sure to leave space for the wonderful desserts The music is just the way rockabilly should be played loud and jumping, the decor has to be seen to be believed, and the staff are the friendliest ever, even dressing in the 50's retro look Try this wonderful diner You'll call back time and again.

Second time I've visited, so a relative authority now. Second visits are never as good as the…read morefirst, however, which is a shame. The novelty wears off and the subject leaves itself open to criticism. Smaller, smellier and more tacky than I remembered, the burgers tasted worse and the portions felt smaller (although this is not necessarily a bad thing). Poor quality patties rendered what was an enjoyable experience worse than it should have been and a thin lining of grease over everything made the whole charade feel dirty. My 1/2lb beef and bacon was mediocre and my companion's pepperoni, tomato and cheese tasted like a cheap pizza; my sister's blue cheese was nice, however this was in no doubt due to the sauce managing to disguise the flavour of their value frozen burgers. What saved the meal were the fantastic milkshakes (Oreo, peanut butter and Irish cream, the latter turning out to be the favourite) and the ridiculous peanut butter crunch sundae, the toffee apple pie leaving us disappointed. £20 per head, which is what you expect to pay for a novelty such as this, and which is why this restaurant will manage to survive despite the food failing to live up to the kitsch glamour and the enterprising theme. Restaurants like this should never be harshly judged on their food, and if they are you're missing the point. It's about the experience, the novelty and the ride. It's a nostalgia trip for people who never experienced it first time round; an exalted view through red, white and blue tinted sunglasses at a specific period of Americana that is itself viewed through misty eyes. How many Americans revere and laud the humble pub, jellied eels and Beefeaters? Cliched, over the top and in poor taste, replete with a decaying Mystery Machine and muscle car in the car park (genuinely!), I'll nevertheless come back time and time again. It's enjoyable, and offers us Brits something different, and perhaps more importantly, fun.

The place would be amazing if the quality of the meat were a little better. I don't know whether…read moreit's Irish or British beef, but when we went it was definitely not Scottish. It also wasn't trimmed, and there were giant globs of fat on the meat, which wasn't very appetizing. Overall, it was ok, but not a place I'd go out of my way to eat at. The prices simply aren't worth the food. That said, the dessert was delicious.

Very good for the purpose. True American diner. Good food and very nice jazz. The Oreo cheesecake…read moreis fantastic.

Always was my favourite burger restaurant! Can't wait til it's open, the burgers are tasty with…read moreplenty of variety, Cobb salad is my favourite !

The staff needs re-training, or it probably just needs training full stop. An attitude check…read morewouldn't go amiss and a smile once in a while from the chronically miserable front of house staff would be nice too! As a former waitress I get probably a little too personally offended by bad service, and this place makes me feel all sorts of insulted... So many cardinal sins of service are committed here! I could rant for hours about my visit today but I'll just say this - for an early morning breakfast, on a quiet day, you can't go wrong! The brioche French toast is lovely and worth putting up with the slow, poor, service. The restaurant can't seem to handle much more than an early morning breakfast and an empty restaurant though and I will never go back again for lunch or dinner!

I'm merely a Californian rather than a Texan but I'll definitely be coming back to Grillstock…read more We wanted to get the burnt ends but they were out unfortunately, so my husband had the Burnside Burger, which was well cooked and had delicious streaky bacon on it. We shared the Wings and Rings which were supposed to come with some dip but didn't, luckily they were very good and we didn't bother asking for any as we ate them too fast. I chose the Bluegrass Crispy Chicken sandwich, which was the nicest fried chicken I've had in the UK so far. And I am slightly obsessed with fried chicken so that's saying something. The only nitpick there is that there is no reason for this to be a sandwich, the bun adds nothing to the experience and the chicken breast shape makes it awkward. They should just make it a plate and add a biscuit or some mashed potatoes or something instead. It was nice to see they had iced tea on the drinks menu since that is bafflingly rare in the UK, but for some reason the only option had apple juice and mint in it. It was fine, but a bit on the sweet side and not really what I wanted. But that's on me, ultimately. The beer selection is fine but unexceptional. It was a Saturday night and the place was super busy but we did get seated reasonably fast. Service at the table was reasonably good. Service at the bar was nonexistent (bartender was busy but not crazily so, still managed to avoid serving us or making eye contact for ten minutes until we were whisked away to our table). All in all a bit of a mix but solid on the food front, I look forward to trying the rest of the menu.

First off, I preface this review as being an American from Texas where BBQ can be found just about…read moreanywhere. This establishment markets itself as an American type BBQ eatery, but the food is no where near. The ribs were the worst I've ever had. They were the consistency of jerky with no where near the flavor. They needed to be off the grill about an hour or two sooner, assuming they were cooked here rather than arrived frozen and pre-cooked in the first place. The beef brisket was drowned in sauce so there really wasn't any beef flavor to be found. The pork (as marketed in their logo) was overcooked as well. The fries were good and the beer was cold, which helped in washing it all down. One should/would not expect American quality meat in Europe, but it should be better than this.

Disgusting! I had…read morethe chicken penne romana bake. Basically it was chicken with pasta, tomato sauce and a bit of pepperoni. The chicken wasn't fresh, it was probably cooked earlier in the day and had a terrible taste. They did not use any spices, not even salt or pepper. The star is only for the waiter who was really friendly. Otherwise I do not recommend this restaurant, it is far to be an Italian restaurant. It is not because a restaurant cooks pastas and pizzas that it is an Italian restaurant.

While visiting from the US, we grabbed a late dinner at this "New York Italian" restaurant…read more Hilarity ensued. First, they don't slice the pizzas. Why? No-one in the restaurant appeared to know! But there it was: a huge pie on a small plate, goading the diner with its vast oneness. Second, they post Italian-sounding words all over the place. Just so you know it's *Italian* food. But then the menu is full of hamburgers and chicken covered in BBQ sauce. Third, my son tipped salt all over the table and, when asked why he'd done such a bloody stupid thing, he said, "To be healthy." He'd clearly received the leaflet from the Sodium Council. Regardless, the food was very acceptable and the service, in particular, was fantastic. Our waitress was absolutely what every parent wants: patient with the kids, pleasant, helpful, and very fun indeed. It's not truly American Italian fare but, God love them, they're trying, and it made for an entertaining and enjoyable meal.