The Plough really has to be up there as one of the best pubs in Birmingham. I went recently for a…read moremeal on the 2-4-1 Pizza Monday and it was fantastic. Even though it was a Monday, the place was packed so I would recommend booking if you're going for a meal - we very nearly didn't get a table. The decor in The Plough is a stylish mix of traditional and urban, and has some great feature points. There's also an outside beer garden which looked great. The staff were very friendly and helpful, even though they were clearly run off their feet. There is a huge selection of drinks as you'd expect, and the food menu was also vast. The food also caters well to different dietry requirements such as vegetarian and gluten free, which is always great to see from a pub. The pizza options were creative and offered something a little different. My tuna, anchovi, watercress and olive pizza was perfect, and everyone in my group really enjoyed their choice. They are also extremely big, but they're happy to give you a take-out box at the end for any left-overs. The 2-4-1 pizza deal made it really good value for money, and they also do a 2-4-1 burger deal on a Tuesday. My whole group was really impressed with The Plough - it seems to be one of those rare pubs that has hit the nail on the head with what makes a 'posh pub' work - down to earth service, laid back environment but absolutely fantastic food.

The Plough made such a good impression on me I just had to go back. I love the area, the pub, and…read morethe menu. Apparently I'm not the only one who feels this way. Shortly after finding a table in the late morning the crowds came in. If you plan on coming with a large group I recommend calling ahead to get reservations. They were serving the breakfast/brunch menu during our seating. I opted for the bacon pancakes. The food is presented just beautifully like the perfect instagram photo. And it tastes just as good. If you are a tea drinker you must order a pot just for the cute factor. All teapots come out dressed in little tea cozys. I wonder if they sell them as they all look homemade. My only complaint is that the food came old on the cold side. Perhaps it was due to how crowded it was, but it was like the food had been sitting out for a while. Regardless it still tasted amazing. I think prices for the Plough are affordable. If you have an Independent Birmingham card you receive a discount so keep that in mind. They have a beer garden out back that must be wonderful on sunny days..if we ever get any. I really want to get back there for lunch or dinner. And maybe try a cocktail if they have any. If you're ever in Harborne try it out.

Love love love this place, generous portions of food, and the Sunday roasts are great. The staff…read moreare also really helpful and friendly, just go and enjoy it.

The Red Lion, my trusty local. Sister venue to The Lord Clifden, part of the UAB (Urban Art Bar)…read moregroup. This is a proper pub minus the sticking to the carpets, serving anaemic food and the best pint on offer being a Carling. The Red Lion does it right, with local ales, international bottles and some great guest drafts. They also have Goose Island as a regular draft, which at 5.6%, a few of those at lunch or after work certainly leaves you needing a bag of pork scratchings or two. Fear not however, they do serve fantastic food. Their portions are HUGE though the prices aren't cheap, however well worth it, at around £11 for a main. There is outside space to sit, drink and eat. In the summer it's a great place to chill in the sun, though limited as a lot of it is covered, however it's perfect for when the good old British weather inevitably trikes.... In the winter, there is a real log fire and cosy inside to warm you up and escape the elements. Sport will play sometimes, so do be aware of that. There's also a great quiz upstairs in the big seating room. Give this Brummie independent a try!

Nice pub in a convenient location. Good folk and decent food…read more Enjoyed the fish and chips.

With a great name like this, I could not give it a miss!…read more Set on the " Aston University", more precisely on Gosta Green, the Sacks of Potatoes is considered a proper student pub, which means it can be very loud during the evenings. As I have been there for a breakfast with my husband and friends before a pub crawl, it was quite early and I didn't spot any sign of a student environment. I quite liked the chilled atmosphere. Although it's a famous pub for its traditional real ales, they have plenty of larger options for a really good price. For being a tiny pub, I imagine struggling a little bit to find some seats, if the place is packed. Luckily, and if the weather permits, there are really lovely seats outside that even with all the noise noise coming from the traffic on Woodstock Street ( another great name) , it's still something. The breakfast is great, and the full English is served in decent portion. They have some meal + drinks meals that are also worth.

amazing service from start to finish. Lady who greeted us was very pleasant. we were seated and…read moreMia came and cleaned our table, topped up our cutlery and checked about allergies ( we had a diner with a peanut allergy ) This was taken very seriously. she then took our order and I ordered poached eggs and she took the time to tell me when I needed to put my toast in so that I got warm toast and hot poached eggs. She was friendly and efficient and her customer service skills were excellent. The breakfast itself was also very nice and all well cooked. Great experience overall but the star of the show is little MIA !

The Duck is a well-established pub on the Hagley Road. It was my uncle's regular around 30 years…read moreago. Since then it's had a makeover and updated to the 21st Century. I came to know of it when my cousin began DJ'ing there. They usually have promotions on drinks so chipping in on a pitcher cocktail is a pretty cheap way to spend the evening with friends. The bar staff are welcoming and accommodating. It gets quite busy on Friday and Saturday nights but their customer service remains great. The ambience is laid back and targeted towards over 20's as opposed to students. So generally it's a chilled out, sleek atmosphere. It's also a Beefeater Grill where the food is freshly prepared and deliciously English!

Okay, this pub pretty much feels like your typical old man's pub, except that it happens to be…read morelocated in the middle of one of the progressive areas, so I'm not really sure if you can consider that it is actually an old man's pub. Okay, look, it really wasn't all that bad. Personally, I didn't mind it, but it was still a good pub nonetheless.

If you want the best English in brum. The old fox, China Town, great atmosphere, safe and clean…read moreboozer.

Permanent closed，do not come here. Restaurant changed, now…read moreit's a bar only offer drink

A wonderful meal for my father's 80th birthday…read more Starters were; scallops and the fried cheese. Mains were; surf and turf, 18oz Fillet, mashed potatoes, onion rings, and mixed veg. Desserts were; white chocolate cheesecakes. Wine; Malbec and Chardoney Afternoon opening 12-3, nice underground setting - great artwork dotted about. Nice selection of wines and ales. Service was great. Knowledgable staff. The food was superb. Scallops were tasty, and accompanied with a delicious aoli. My steak was cooked to perfection - medium rare, my parents has medium and again it was exactly as you'd expect. Dessert was sweet without being too strong, and went perfectly with a double espresso. There's also a nice selection of spirits for the end of the meal, so a frangelico and a whiskey were also appreciated. I can't recommend it enough. Price was good. Plenty of other local bars around to nip to after. Happy customer!

As a long-time vegetarian and a certified halloumi head, I was quite pleased to finally pop into…read more1847 to give their veg-only menu a go. 1847 bills itself as 'modern vegetarian' and has grown to several branches (3) outside of the Brum restaurant in the Great Western Arcade. The restaurant is named after the year that the vegetarian society was formed in England. Local, fresh produce is a big focus, outside of modernising some of the most well-known British gastronomic dishes. Aside from an entirely vegetarian menu, I was drawn here by 1847's take on 'fish and chips'. I feel that the meal has attained an almost legendary status, with friends and even random acquaintances in Birmingham extolling the virtues and creativity of the dish. First, let's take a look at the chips. Perfectly fried, high-quality potatoes - I have no complaints here. The 'fish' in the dish are deep fried halloumi balls. I've eaten more than my weight in fried halloumi, including a rival pub oriented take on this dish at a Greene King in the East Midlands, and I have to say there is something inherently special with the preparation of the dish. This squeaky cheese is not too over-seasoned, but neither dull in flavour, and is so addictive they could sell these in cones on a street corner and probably run through Cyprus' supply of the cheese in months. Instead of the uninspired mushy peas in a ramekin as a side that one would normally expect, the peas are made into a paste with lemon curd to decorate your halloumi. The plating is so pretty you could easily frame it! 1847 has a wide range of drink choices, with beers, wines, and cocktails. The beers are bottled and of a small variety, with the big focus being their wine list and custom cocktails. I tried a glass of the house white, which paired perfectly with the vegetarian entrees we enjoyed. The interior of the restaurant covers two floors in the arcade, but the seating can feel a bit cramped, especially downstairs with a lot of foot traffic. The upstairs area offers a reprieve, however a lot of noise echoes from below throughout the high ceiling. I would not recommend if you are looking for a quiet, romantic place to dine. Service at 1847 is exemplary through and through. Our table of four was very thirsty during our visit, and our server continuously was on point refilling our water glasses despite being the only diners upstairs. The pricing is a bit more than your average chain, but much lower than Brum's other celebrated high-end eateries. If you are a vegetarian, or even a carnivore looking for something a bit different, 1847 is a no-brainer!

Bistro 1847 opening in Birmingham was very warmly welcomed to the (very slowly growing)…read moreVegetarian/Vegan scene. After already having two successful restaurants in Manchester, I was very excited about visiting Bistro 1847 after hearing only good things about it. Set in the beautiful Great Western Arcade, I thought it was strange to open a restaurant here. Especially after 6pm it is the only place open usually! But the atmosphere of the restaurant complements the peacefulness of the arcade. The interior of the Bistro is minimalistic and modern. Being someone who is allergic to Dairy and Wheat intolerant (I know!), Bistro 1847 is one of few places I don't feel weird at. The whole menu is Vegetarian, with dishes that can be adjusted to vegan or gluten free or both in my view. My and my friend were feeling fat so we both went for three courses. I had the curried Swede Cauliflower, Cashew nut butter and cinnamon cornflakes. So many flavours going on in a small parcel was a great choice. For the main I had "Oh I do like to be beside the seaside" (all dishes have these quirky little names!) which is a modern Veggie twist on fish and chips in case you hadn't guessed! I had the vegan version which had two huge pieces of smoked tofu which I really struggled to finish along with the chunky chips! I wasn't defeated and enjoyed all parts of the meal. For desert I had the "Good ol fashioned lover boy" I enjoyed it although I thought maybe the chocolate was a bit over powering as was so much going on. But the jelly was a nice compliment to the richness. The menu contains a large selection of cocktails and deserts for sharing if you and your friends are in search of lots of sweetness. This was my third visit on a Sunday since opening and has been progressively busier each time which is great to see. Bistro 1847 is a very relaxing experience and ideal place for a date or a catch up with a friend. And of course the food is amazing!

This place is a very basic and serviceable pub. I had a beer and it met the criteria of being cold…read moreand wet. I was also hungry and was told that the only food options were a couple of sandwiches. But I was assured that the sandwiches were quite good. I was told by the bartender that the cheese and onion was the best. Fast forward to a couple of seconds later as I stared in horror at this abomination before me. Perhaps they were just ribbing this yank. I will include a photo. It was a dry roll with the hardest block of cheese know to man and four gigantic rings of raw onion. And that is it! I could barely smell it much less eat it. I love the UK for so many reasons--their sandwiches are not one of them. Perhaps caramelize the onions, or pickle the onions, add some mayo or mustard, anything would have improved this thing. I should have know better as I am still trying to figure out the breakfast ham roll that is ham on a roll (no egg, no cheese, no condiment, no thanks). Love the UK but you could level up the Sammy game.

A terrific experience in all aspects…read more Great service, beer choice, and food. What more can you ask for? I'll be back...

This place has a seriously good vibe! Friday night was made especially lovely when me and a friend…read morevisited for cocktails and some food after the cinema. Its safe to say..... I loved it. Feeling pretty hungry we went for a selection of small plates including cod balls, chicken thighs, chips with garlic mayo and some roasted butternut squash. Everything was beautifully presented and just perfect really. We were then offered the menus for more drinks to finish the meal....i saw something I had never seen before.....wait for it......pistachio......espresso martini.......TAKE.MY.MONEY. It was honestly one of the best cocktails I have ever had.....rich and smooth with both flavours of coffee and nuts....a real winner. One final thing to note....the service was truly exceptional. Huge shouts to our waitress who was just a delight. Go here....asap.....looking forward to your 5* review.

A first review for a business is always a responsibility, so hopefully I can give the Pig and Tail…read morethe justice it deserves. First off it's a triumph that the building in which it finds itself still exists. I used to live in one of the apartments in Amazon Lofts just opposite so I know the old George and Dragon building so well. I took several photo's over the years and could tell the place had potential, but it was being so badly neglected I was sure it would crumble and be built over. But it was rescued and in what seems to have been a labour of love brought back to life. It's extremely impressive and a genuinely wonderful addition to what is now one of the smartest areas of the city. The developer deserves huge credit. So the ground floor is given over to the Pig and Tail and the upstairs to apartments. I guess I'd describe it as a modern pub. It has the default 'craft beers' and the currently trendy 'small plates'. Decor is pleasant and there are some very nice touches. The metal and wood tables of different sizes stand out as quality additions, alongside the leather arm chairs and US diner style bench seating. There's an edge of contemporary/retro about the whole place that isn't unpleasant, but it is all as one might expect these days so there's nothing particularly stand out amazing. It's comfortable but safe, so I'd like to see a few more flourishes of imagination especially given the area it sits in. Early days and the basis there with the huge stained glass windows particularly impressive. Look, it's really nice. Service was pleasant but a little too much checking back for my liking. I prefer unobtrusive, at a distance observation rather than constantly being asked if everything is OK. But I suppose it's better than being completely ignored, so a minor complaint. Whatever, a decent tip was left as I was happy overall. There was no 'bitter' available apparently, so I randomly selected their Atlantic 'craft beer', which was entirely drinkable. I ordered their rare breed pork and chicken pastry, sweet pea and mint risotto balls, a side of chips and for desert an truly excellent vanilla panna cotta, ginger parfait with rhubarb. It was tasty throughout, nothing overpowering or in-congruent. Portion size was adequate and I cleared the lot without feeling over-stuffed or wanting more. It wasn't wow but it was very decent for the price. All in my bill came to £22 which was about right and perfectly in keeping with other local options. So a solid 4**** for an excellent addition to an area of the JQ otherwise ignored food and drinks wise. This place has decent wifi, plenty of comfy tables to sit at and work a while, some sockets for your laptop or phone and a good selection of fairly priced food and drink. As such, it's definitely somewhere I would visit regularly if I still lived close by. It's not just a bar or restaurant or pub, it's all those and a chilled out coffee shop too. As such it's multi-functional and exactly what the area needed. It possibly needs just a bit more 'vibe'. At the moment it's lacking the unique personality that would earn it 5*****, but YMMV.

Despite this bar being practically on my doorstep, I have only been down a couple of times. It's…read morejust off St Paul's Square, meaning it's the perfect spot to stop by and grab a quiet drink or some food. Externally it's very pretty. Many of the old features of the building have been preserved, whilst the big glass doors give it a modern twist. It's much the same inside with red brick walls and a laid back, classy vibe with comfortable furniture. It has a bar and a restaurant area inside, but during quiet periods you are allowed to take your drinks into the seating are (normally reserved for diners) and enjoy the generously sized booths. Your lowest priced bottle of wine is £18.95 and a pint will set you back just shy of £4 (so it's not cheap). I must confess, I've never eaten here; but the menu is reasonably priced with most mains being priced between £10 - £15 (steak is a little more, as you would expect). It normally has a couple of ales on tap (I partook of a pint of the Hereford Pale Ale last night which was most pleasant), but the wine list and bar choices are very varied. It seems to attract an eclectic crowd, but mostly locals in the week. On the weekend it can get very busy (so best to book if you wish to eat). If you haven't been before, I would give it a go; it really is a beautiful well kept space.

This is one of my favourite places as this quirky venue offers stylish surroundings that are…read moreperfect for a pre-Saturday night out on the town or drinking round St Pauls Square. We often choose to start our evening here as we can sit and enjoy a bottle of wine whilst actually being able to talk to each other. and there is always music on in the background. Price wise, it's not the cheapest of bars but when you go out on the weekend you kind of expect a bottle of wine to be around £15 and beers from £3.50. The bar staff are normally pretty quick at serving you and up for a chat too whilst you wait to get served.