This is a great traditional irish pub in Digbeth that was a real hub of the St Patricks day…read morecelebrations this weekend. The prices here are what you would expect for the area but this week don't expect to be getting to the bar too quickly. With the amount of people wanting a pint of guinness over the last couple of days this place was packed out. On a standard week/weekend this is a laid back traditional Irish boozer. Great for families and generally has warm welcome from both the bar staff and regular faces.

I used to sing live with des Ryan on Sunday afternoons and Monday evenings. Teats on my pillow and…read moreshe'll be coming round the mountain became my most requested songs. Odd occasions i did gospel. We then moved to red hill then the dubliner. I then started to go to evenig church service. Now i have started to go to kerryman again to listen to live music. Its great fun. We have a singalong and a good dance from pop to rock to ballroom to jig. A pitcherof sex on the beach is usually on our table.

I've fond memories of the Big Bulls Head; back when the Barfly was open and a stream of indie acts…read morewould be playing around the corner, it was the pre-gig destination for lazy people like me who didn't want to walk too far. It also offered the chance to spot a few of the performers loading up on a breakfast or sinking a bevvy before their show, too. Since the fall of the Sanctuary, the pub (situated on the corner where Panic's queue often stretches) is less of a fixture in my Brummy-based social life now, but often when heading to Digbeth and the new-look Institute I do often pop in for one still. Not a lot's changed really, it's still pretty small and shall we say 'lived-in'? However, it offers a pleasant atmosphere and a few colourful characters, so you'd do worse to head here before your Digbeth final destination.

A classic public house really, it is lively at the weekends and quiet enough during weekdays to pop…read morein for a peaceful pint without feeling as though the place is dead. A special mention here should go to the food served up, its homemade fare at decent prices which certainly left myself and friends feeling more than satisfied. Washing it down with a nice pint of Guinness made the experience all the more enjoyable and I enjoyed the unassuming nature of this pub. One of my pet peeves is pretentious pubs, after all a pub should be a place of relaxation and fun, not somewhere you are made to feel inadequate or uncomfortable. There's certainly no danger of that at the Big Bulls Head which embraces its customers with open arms and embodies the welcoming character which I believe defines the city of Birmingham as a whole.

Hidden gem. Beautiful family run pub in the heart of digbeth with live music and events. Lovely…read morescotch eggs and cobs on offer with friendly bar staff

Do you suffer from the chain pub blues? Well, The Spotted Dog is here as a perfect cure for what…read moreales you! This pub is located in Deritend/Digbeth and has the look and feel perfect for Brum's Irish Quarter. It has a real sense of place and history, as should any pub with its own theme song (seriously, check it out on youtube). The landlord John has built a reputation as a friendly face of the pub and representative of the neighbourhood. In a sea of bars and gastropubs serving £12 'craft' cocktails, the Spotted Dog serves as a landmark of sanity. The pub has a charmingly worn interior that is ridiculously clean for a boozer in Digbeth. Table tops adorned with candles sit inside, while a side door through the lounge exits onto what is probably the best covered garden in the whole of Brum. The drinks menu is simple yet satisfying. You'll find some of the usual suspects like Guiness on draft in addition to several rotating real ales. Liquor covers a breadth of options, with regular specials. On jazz night (Tuesday), Bushmills Irish Whiskey can be had for a pound and certain ales for £2.50. Even on a normal night, The Spotted Dog is one of the best values in Birmingham. The pub opens at 5PM most nights (sometimes later in the winter). Crisps are offered as the only snack, so you'll want to plan for food accordingly. The customer service is above expectations. A friend and I stopped in one evening right as the pub opened to sip some whiskey. As the first and only customers for over an hour, John shared with us some special Polish vodka a personal friend had brought to him. One of his bartenders asked what music to put on over the sound system and his reply was 'anything you want, as long as it's Bo Diddley'. These types of charmingly quaint memories are what makes The Spotted Dog so special for me. If you are in search of a proper Irish pub experience, look no further than The Spotted Dog.

The Anchor is a very old-fashioned, family-run pub, a few minutes away from Birmingham Coach…read morestation in Digbeth. It's been going since at least 1797. Although the location is rather unprepossessing - it's in a slightly run-down commercial area - the pub itself is grade II listed, on account of its well-preserved Victorian terracotta exterior, and its untouched internal layout of separate but interconnected rooms (four or five, depending how you count them). Apart from the sports TV screen in one room, you feel it could be anywhere between 1935 and 1965. The atmosphere is very blokey, in an old-fashioned sort of way - there were very few women customers on our visit - but friendly enough. The real draw to this out-of-the-way spot is the beer. There's a fantastic selection of real ales available, very well kept and well served. Many are from small, independent breweries, and there's a rotating choice of them. There are also regular beer festivals, and other special events. It's in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide, and was the local area's pub of the year in 2003. Service was very good, in a business-like rather than friendly way (the web-site is very cheery, though). They are the meeting venue for various local groups, and do lots of charity fund-raising, so they clearly have a regular and loyal clientele.

The Anchor in Digbeth is another fabulous old style boozer that specializes in real ale and has won…read moreBirmingham CAMRA pub of the year no less than four times. This was my first visit and I was enchanted by the number and variety of rooms - large bar, small snug, large snug, outdoor seating and what looked like a library room. I am told this is a grade II listed public house and it really does have a lovely old feel. The real ale 'menu' looked pretty daunting - the ones currently available having a price next to them. I wussed out and plumped for a pint of Erdinger Weissbier - pretty good stuff. It was pretty quiet inside as it was a Thursday evening but it felt nice almost having the selected room to ourselves. I noticed they serve bar meals and I will be visiting again soon to try one.

So, Friday was a manic day. Between meetings and finishing off tasks on the to do list, I was…read moredashing from one side of town to the others. Due to this madness, I had totally forgotten I had scheduled in a call for that afternoon! My phone alarm went off and gave me a 10 minute countdown to find somewhere I could settle down and set up my laptop to be ready. A quick search on Yelp revealed "The Old Fox". Upon entry, the place was almost empty. Perfect. I nabbed a table, turned the laptop on, connected to the WiFi (as with most places in Birmingham, the Cloud Wifi is strong in this venue) and grabbed myself a drink from the bar. As it was a Friday afternoon, I thought a nice glass of white wine would be in order. I was very pleased to note that a glass of house wine (which was perfectly tolerable) was a bargainous £2.75! With drink in hand and equipment ready to go, I settled in to my chat. The Old Fox is a theatre bar which is situated over the road from the Hippodrome, round the corner from Glee Club and just on the gateway to the Gay Quarter. It's lovely from the outside! A cheery old man boozer which looks really well kept and cared for. The inside is worn, but comfortable. It's not a place to go for a posh night out, but I would definitely recommend it if a group of you are looking for somewhere to chat and relax for a few hours. Throughout the course of my swift visit (I was in there for about an hour) more people came in, but it didn't get busy. They also had some music on in the background, but this wasn't offensive or intrusive. The staff were perfectly friendly and helpful and the venue has the usual sort of "pub" paraphernalia inside. I spotted a dart board, a gambling machine and a basic menu of food. I didn't get to investigate the place in too much detail, but it's somewhere I would revisit if I was in this neck of the woods and wanted to grab a decent pint (and avoid the nearby Wetherspoons).

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

Kicked out for no reason. Me and my friends visited today…read more(Wed 20th Nov). The bar was nearly empty. Half of us ordered a snack and a drink and were talking when one of the guys from the bar (who we were told by his co-worker was called Levi) came up to us and said "so are each one of you gonna get a drink or are you gonna have to leave?" When asked "why", he began making up some excuses such as "we have to heat it up it costs to heat this place"? Reminder: the bar was nearly empty and our table had ordered drinks and snacks. As we were leaving I still had my drink and I asked "can we have 5 minutes while I finish my drink", to which he started being rude and said "you can stay, they can leave" and just kept refusing to let my friends wait 5 minutes. When asked to deliver further explanation as to why we are being kicked out, he walked away and did not provide any details. We believe it was unfair for following reasons: 1. The bar was nearly empty, therefore we did not take up anybody's space and nobody was waiting to take a seat. 2. We were PAYING COSTUMERS. 3. We were not loud and did not behave inappropriately. There was no legitimate reason to kick us out of this bar. This was extremely rude and we will not be coming back.

Well this is an unusual place in a fairly deserted Digbeth location. I needed a 30 minute stop over…read moreen-route to a meeting and was directed this way from another 'pub' that didn't do any food. Was starved and needed something, so I popped in. Inside it's pretty large and quite nicely laid out. There are plenty of 'groups of friends' type seating and single and multiple occupy tables, plus some bar stools. There's lots of disco lights and a DJ desk. Sky Sports was on, which I see as a bonus, but with the sound off and text on screen instead. That's OK. Something to watch. So they have decent offers for lunch and a comprehensive, pretty much as you'd expect, pub style menu. I was after something quick and filling, so went for the 'classic' Gammon, egg, chips combo for £5. Service was very pleasant and smiley. The food arrived after ,maybe 15-20 minutes so timing was just about OK. Usual mash potato style chips you get everywhere, so zero taste or texture. Good juicy Gammon and nice fried egg. All was fine, even the side salad. Checked out the drinks selection at the very long, well sorted bar and looked impressive. So, despite being in a bit of an industrial wasteland, I had a good stop-over. There were maybe a dozen people there at 1.30pm on a Wednesday, which to me indicates the place probably has a good batch of regulars. Mix of oldies, lunchies, and business meeting types. It's a modern warehouse of a bar space, but in the right mood and at the right time I can imagine you'd have a good time, a good time, oh yeah!

What a little treat! When I lived in the city centre I think I must have ended up in here nearly…read moreonce a week during that time. I love nothing more than going to a classic, and most importantly, quiet pub to relax after a hard weeks work (and even harder partying on a Saturday night!). If you love venues that have lots of character then you should go and check out The Craven Arms. It offers a great selection of beers for the boys and wine for the girls and the food in delicious. You can't beat their house burger and a nice cold shandy.

I've heard rave reviews about The Craven Arms since moving to Birmingham. Brittany A. and I finally…read morehad a chance to try it out recently on a fairly quiet afternoon, and I can easily say that it deserves all of the praise it garners. The Craven Arms was built for Holder's Brewery at the dawn of the twentieth century. Departing from the Victorian red brick and terra cotta style that is so prevalent in Brum, the exterior of The Craven Arms is adorned with lovely blue and gold tiles, making it one of the more colourful pubs in city centre. Inside, the tile and brick switches over to a traditional 'old man' pub style with wood, carpeting, and dark wood chairs and stools. From the outside, the pub belies the tight quarters inside. The pub makes great use of the space though, and the intimacy and cosiness creates a true neighbourhood feel. Once you grab a stool, be prepared for one of the best craft brew and real ale selections in the entirety of greater Birmingham. Black Country Ales is tied to the Craven Arms, and aside from their traditional golden, bitter, and brown, you'll find more real ales, some IPAs hopped to the max, and fun beers like a red hot chili beer. Hard to find bottled beers and cider in the fridge complete the impressive selections. The pub has no kitchen, but they serve up cheese baps (for £1) and allow you to bring in any outside food and will even provide a fork and knife for you. For the serious beer drinker, you can join their beer club and earn your way up toward the '100 club', tasting all kinds of brews along the way. If you are up for an old pub experience with the latest and greatest in new craft beers, the Crave Arms will suit you well.

Who needs to pay to go to a museum when you have a living history boozer right here in Birmingham?…read moreThe Eagle & Tun has returned to the brum pub scene after a far-too-long absence. This Eastside pub was famous for being the location for UB40's video shoot of Red Red Wine, as well as a meeting place for the band and its fans in the 1980's. The pub is playing up that heritage to full effect. The interior has not changed much at all, and UB40's catalogue floats from the speakers overhead. The building is grade B listed and has sat empty since 2008. I'm not sure who is responsible for this resurrection, but based on my time there I would guess it's the owner of the attached Wine Lord off-license. This area at Millennium Point and Eastside City Park has seen quite a regeneration over the past several years, and will see an even larger transformation with the building of the Curzon Street HS2 Station. Along with the Woodman down the street, this pub is anchoring down the history of the old, industrial working class eastside while the future arrives. As of their third week in operation, the beer selection is anemic and priced high, especially compared to the nearby Woodman, or the various pubs of Digbeth. There is one real ale currently on tap, Wye Valley's HPA. The taps total six, and include Guinness, Moretti, Amstel, and Hogan's Cider. Liquor is available as well, ranging from £2-£3. Currently, there is not a full food menu, but snacks are available. There are plans in the works to offer traditional pub fare. On my first visit, a mate tried the Hogan's Cider. I've had this cider many, many times and for some reason the taste was completely off, possibly due to a dirty line or bad keg. Currently the Eagle and Tun is operating in very generic beer territory. There is nothing drink wise at the pub that you cannot find for cheaper elsewhere. This would normally net them 2-3 stars from me, however they have announced that additional real ale taps and craft beer will be on the horizon once they find their footing. I give them four stars for the outstanding atmosphere where you can truly feel the history of the pub, and for saving such a historic location from the bulldozer. They will need to drastically expand their offerings as soon as possible however to attract the nearby students and young professionals familiar with higher quality ales.

I came across this pub by accident and was glad I had. The landlord is great - friendly, chatty,…read moreabsolutely 5 out of 5 for the welcome. It is not Wetherspoons, so don't expect that, but the local ale, a new one to me called Salopian, from Shropshire, is very nice. I went on 2 January 2017, so it was a quiet night, but I would recommend it. Further, there is an "outdoor" attached which sells a wide range of cans and bottles. Great to see that this pub with its links to UB40 is up and running again!

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...

Poppy Red deserves four stars for being a mainstream bar/restaurant in the middle of corporate…read moreBirmingham, yet still offering an eclectic, interesting range of DJs and music. Their website puts it succinctly: "Music is a strange beast. It's too loud when you want a civilised chat...and too chilled out when you feel the need to embarass yourself on the dance floor." Poppy Red seems to get the mix just right. I've been there for a friend's birthday party, and we all had a blast. We went for dinner elsewhere, and just had a few nibbles at Poppy Red after, so I can't comment informedly on the main meals. The bar bites were typical pub grub, with no twists or flair -- definitely nothing to write home about. The drinks are on the expensive side for a bar, but the bar servers all seemed to know how to mix a great cocktail, even when asked to kick the vermouth with a pair of steel-toed boots ("I love you, Ron Burgundy!"). The music was GREAT. I mean great. I've been there three times, and never been upset with the offerings. The first time we went, the female DJ, who seemed to have a gaggle of similarly-gorgeous girls as an entourage, mixed Gladys Knight with Dizzy Rascal. Happiness is. The dance floor is spacious enough, but doesn't take over the whole bar. However, it is not a dance floor to be trifled with. Situated just to the left of the front door, all guests have to walk near it to get to the bar. So if you're funkying your chicken with aplomb, you'd better be confident in your waggle. The lighting is very low -- nearly too low, but if you're single, it makes David Walliams look like David Hasselhoff -- surely no bad thing. The seating arrangement is good, with plenty of low benches and armchairs arranged in artsy, tasteful patterns. The crowd (presumably because of the drink prices) tends to consist of clientele wearing slightly more clothes than the typical Broad Street backcombed tweens. Lots of Robert Pattinson types and their sailor-striped mooning girlfriends. The bouncers aren't too overwhelming -- nothing worse than feeling like Wrestlemania has started early when you just want to get drunk on buckets of gin and get your dance on. True to its name, the decor inside is poppy red, with a nice mural on the bar and some music videos projected onto a screen behind the DJ. All very couth, dahhling.

Whenever I've been to Poppy Red, it's been a stopover or place for meeting up with friends for a…read moredrink before moving on to somewhere else. All the same, it's a tidy little venue in the Arcadian, with a pleasant decor and great selection of drinks. The seating is very comfortable, and the prices are pretty good for the centre of town. Every time I visit, I'm always very impressed by how friendly the bar staff are. I can highly recommend the place for lunchtime refreshment, or as somewhere to enjoy a few drinks before a night out, for example at the nearby Glee Club.