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.

I'm seriously disappointed with myself that I hadn't actually heard of jam house before, I love…read morethis sort of place, so I'm glad it ended up being introduced to me. Owned by jools Holland you can expect to see some seriously awesome (and rather loud) live music, and quite a mixed crowd - we were rather entertained by a very grumpy looking middle aged couple. Drinks are reasonably priced, but it did take a very long time to get served, the staff seemed pretty chilled out, and there were a good number of pushy customers. The place is well kept, there are some pretty features like the ceiling and sculptures, and it's a good place for **proper** dancing. One thing I will say, is that it took an odd turn after the band finished, where it's went from soul, blues, jazz and a little 80s goodness that fitted in quite well to 90s club music, which just seemed really strange to us. Saying that, I would definitely go again.

Located in the heart of the jewellery quarter of Birmingham the Jam House occupies a traditional…read moreand Historic Georgian building with seating spread over three stylish yet informal airy floors. Both food and drink are expensive in here, but good quality and the live music is fantastic but stay away if you do not like it loud!

Real ale/s, live music every Friday evening & Sunday afternoon, entry £1 (or members pay yearly),…read moredrinks cheap so make up for the small entrance fee (or membership fee), children allowed (unsure of the exact rules and times), 2 large rooms on the ground floor, large snooker room on the middle floor with 2 full-size snooker tables that are only 50p/hour, large disabled loo as well as newish ladies & gents (ladies beautifully decorated), often quizzes (some of unusual style) and other events, the live music is often a little on the loud side (although nowhere near as bad as most pubs and clubs) but the rest of the time it's very quiet & peaceful, very friendly, lovely looking building and grounds.

From the owner: Established in 1918, The Hollywood Social Club has been a part of Erdington for over 200 years…read more With live music Friday nights, two snooker tables and dart board it has everything you could want in your local pub. We are currently accepting new members. The Hollywood Social Club has no paid staff. A small group of dedicated volunteers run the club. With a group of musicians who perform free of charge and also run open mic nights. The club has live music ever Friday night. Events are on our Facebook page. Currently the club is open three days a week. Thursday 7:30pm - 11:30pm Friday 7:30pm - 12 Sunday 2pm - 7pm We accept cash and card.

Smoking food and music…read more The Dark Horse is a quintessential Moseley pub, full of the friendly bustle that you can expect from the area. The venue itself is a welcoming space with plenty of seats both inside and out, there's a full bar on offer with a variety of spirits that I'd imagine will have something for all tastes. Food is tasty BBQ style smoked meat and pizzas made in the pizza oven sitting roaring away in the back. I had the smoked meat platter and everything on offer had a deep smoky flavour with plenty of "narl". The Dark Horse lives up to it's name however by having a large space upstairs that they use when the night gets later and everyone gets their dancing shoes out, we had a great night listening to the house band and the DJ after that.

You guys rock, Atmosphere 10/10, Service 10/10, Food 10/10, We can find no fault here at all. Ok,…read moreif you really want fast food, then go to McDonalds. The Dark Horse they take pride in their food, service and presentation. We came here for Sunday lunch recently and we got tons of food. We were both extremely surprised and very happy with the amount and quality for the price we paid. Nothing is too much trouble, the staff are always lovely and friendly. Food allergies? no problem here at all as any questions can be asked and answered quickly and helpfully. The aroma when the smoker door opens is amazing and the stone pizza oven produces fantastic pizza too. What more can I say except, you guys really do rock.

Went there for an evening - you deffo dont wanna go in ya best clothes - chairs are made in Africa…read more- good for the ppl who made em - but not for your best skirt - get caught on a nails. Car park wasnt good for your best shoes either - suggest jeans trainers and tee shirt. Reading the reviews - it seemed a great place to go - but they are dated 2012 - its now 2019. My friend googled their food cleanse things and was horrified to see zero rated. Summer 2019. ive just checked and its not changed. Go enjoy the garden centre - great plants and stuff.

I first went to Akamba in April this year. I'd found it online a few weeks earlier, whilst looking…read morefor tribute nights locally, and then a friend mentioned she had a voucher for a meal there, so we gave it a go. Let's be honest, eating dinner at a garden centre usually sounds like the sort of things your parents or grandparents (depending on your age!) would do, however, this little slice of African themed heaven is a far cry from what you'd normal expect of such a place! I've not made it to Africa, though have traveled widely in Asia, and the outside felt totally authentic, being similar to bars and restaurants I've eaten in abroad. Even outside, you are sheltered from the rain, and inside, where the buffet is served, it's warm and cosy, with live music of an evening, and the most amazing spread of food. I've been a number of times since that first dinner, having returned in the day with my dog, as it's dog friendly if you're happy to sit outside - they even bring a bowl of water for our four legged friends! I've had lunch there, and the most fabulous afternoon cream tea, and cake, whilst the choice is limited, what they offer is very tasty (and I'm a fan of cake!) I loved it that much the first night, that I've refused to go there for a meal again, as I'm going for my 40th, which happens to fall on a Thursday, and looking forward to sharing the experience with close friends. The service is always friendly. It's not always super fast, as it runs on Kenyan time, so this isn't the place to go in a rush. Indeed, why would you? It's such a delightful experience that it deserves to be cherished. Oh, and the shop is pretty fab too! So yes, dog friendly, fab food, great shop and friendly service!

I have to admit, this is not my usual pub of choice. When you walk in it has that typical old…read moreworking mens club vibe... and smell! That aside the pub has been kept in great condition with pretty much all of the original features remaining which gives it that priceless 'back in time' feel when you walk in. However, if you're looking for a cheap pub that plays all the sports on TV then this is for you. I went with a friend to watch the football and have a couple of beers. Overall it had a nice chilled out vibe, unlike some of the city centre sport bars which can get a bit overwhelming at times. On a Sunday they have a free music event upstairs which plays everything from Jazz and soul to rock and country music. Personally I wish it was on every night as it really does provide the perfect soundtrack to such a characteristic classic venue.

This is the best pub in Birmingham by a country mile. I've been using The Old Mo (as its known) for…read morewell over a decade and it's a home-from-home. If the TV show Cheers had been made in Birmingham then it would have been set here - literally, everybody knows your name. Even though I don't get down there as much as I used to (when I lived a few hundred years away!) I'm always greeted by name by both the bar staff and some of the locals. It's a genuinely friendly place with great beer that is a PROPER PUB. Some might call it an 'Old Man's Pub', which is completely fair, but that's what is so great about it. It's a particularly great place to watch sport, and football and cricket in particular. The locals are a knowledgeable crowd when it comes to both games and there is always a lively and friendly discussion to be had. They have recently started doing a different range of foods. You can get a pretty decent roast on a Sunday for around £4 and there is often a curry night that is well worth a visit. The curry is cooked by the landlord's wife and is excellent home cooked Indian food. The only word of caution I would offer about this place is to be careful when leaving late at night. It's not in the best or safest part of town and there have been a few nasty incidents in the park behind the place. These are pretty rare, in fairness, but I would recommend taking a cab home, or else going in sufficient numbers and with your wits about you, if travelling on foot.

Hooray to the independent music venues!…read more I love the fact that the Ballroom has been refurbished by private developers in a bid to restore the heart in Birminghams central music scene. Nowadays, bands tend to be left with 2 options. Either play at a small dingy venue where a limited number of fans can afford to come and see you, or play at a large arena which not only costs fans a ridiculous amount of money to come but you also need to be pretty big time to fill the gig. That's where the Ballroom shines and continues to make its mark on the industry. Large enough to put on a memorable gig but so reasonably priced it enables everyone to come and enjoy the experience. The sound system was OK, I have heard better but overall it was a good night, crackin atmosphere and the drinks weren't too expensive either.

Although it's early days, the Birmingham Ballroom already shows signs of settling down as the city…read morecentre's premier mid-large music venue experience. Having laid empty and derelict for over a year, the venue was bought up by disillusioned ex-employees from the Academy group with a view to open a venue that openly challenged the O2 Academy. Having refurbished the old Academy 1 and 2 (and the Bar Academy next door), there is a nostalgic familiarity attached to The Ballroom that its owners have knowingly traded in on: Although the floor is no longer notoriously sticky, it feels like visiting an old friend. The bar is far more reasonable than the new O2, and is constantly offering night-specific drinks promotions. Touring acts are becoming more frequent as the venue becomes more established and it will be competing with the O2 and the Institute within a few months, arguably. But the Ballroom's real lure for me is knowing that an independent venue lies within the city centre once more (the Flapper is perhaps too far a walk to be considered truly 'central'), and that goes a long way with me.

This is the rockingest pub this side of the Pond. I absolutely adore this place, and count the…read morelandlady and landlord to be great friends. They run a grand pub, full of fun with great local music acts every Friday and most Saturdays. My husband originally strolled into this pub thinking we'd have a laugh at the local cheesy entertainment. However, the songstress, who used to perform at Disney World and with their cruise ships, knocked our socks off singing a bunch of jazz and classics, along with covering the sugar out of Amy Winehouse and The Noisettes. Well impressed like, we was. This pub used to be well known as a drug haven (and not just cannabis), and was known for having the police in nearly every weekend for fights and the like. They had topless bar maids and it was a real dive. In 2005, the current landlords came in and really cleaned the place up. They redecorated, got a bunch of very large local boys in to keep the fighters away, and added a new food menu. Slowly but surely, the place turned around to become a real community pub. It's great for families, and often have carnivals in the summer and hold community events. On the weekends, it's great for adults, as the local bands and singers they get in are absolutely fabulous (especially Partners in Crime, a favourite). The beer is cheap, and they have all the cocktail spirits a girl could want. The best part is the crowd, though. The regulars vary in age from 20-50, and it's definitely not just an old man's pub. It's a favourite of local 20-somethings to frequent before they go out to a club in Brum, and for the less adventurous of us, they often stay open til 2am, at which point we teeter home on 4" heels that seemed like such a good idea at the beginning of the evening. Everyone in the pub is friendly, always good for a laugh, and happy to chat. No fights, no drama, just good clean fun and great music, karaoke and sport during the week. The landlady makes an excellent Sunday Roast, and the wine menu has recently been revamped to add some excellent choices rarely seen in Tamworth!

I actually love this place. Really sweet with the train set up and great staff…read more We came for a working lunch meeting, and now I really want to come here more! The food was genuinely epic, sandwich, salad and chips- and seriously good value- the decor was gorgeous, and the bar looked well stocked even though I was only on the Diet Coke! I hope to get across for one of their infamous and intimate comedy nights soon

This is one of my favorite pubs in Birmingham. When all food items on the menu are available, they…read moreare superb! I'm wary of going on the weekends though, because they typically run out of the vegetarian items by then as well as some beers. They occasionally host tap takeovers and fun events like a vinyl fair, plus comedy upstairs Thurs-Sat. My absolute favorite item on the menu is the vegetarian filo tart. It usually has a lovely blend of spinach, cheese, pine nuts, and mushrooms and is served with a superfood salad and optional chips. The superfood salad is divine - mixed lettuces, onions, pomegranate seeds, tomatoes, carrot shreds and peppers drizzled with a mustard seed vinaigrette. The chips are always cooked to perfection, never mushy. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. The outdoor seating includes heat lamps for winter and dazzly lighting.

This place is now known as The Robin 2 (I'm guessing due to a change of management or something?)…read more Prepare for some innuendo in this review! To enter the main music venue you have to go around the back (oh-er missus!) and apparently there's a bar next door, that you enter around the front! We didn't visit this part of the bar so I can't comment on it. There's a good size car park at the back, and it's free! It's one of those places where EVERYTHING is sticky (make your own joke there!!) Not just the dance floor but the walls, tables, seats etc. So try not to stay in one place for too long. I guess it's a good excuse to get dancing! They didn't have lots of seats so some people braved sitting on the floor. They may still be there now, stuck forever... They have a great line up of music acts, from tribute bands to proper bands, across lots of different music genres! I went to the Dames of Darkness festival, which was a two day event consisting of 15 female-fronted metal/rock/goth bands from all over the world. Well worth the money. On the Saturday the mike was a bit squeaky (did it need greasing up?!) but the sound was absolutely fine on the Sunday. They serve food all day and was I assured their vegetarian burger was suitable for vegans, but I had my doubts after trying one on the Saturday. The chips were very nice though. On the Sunday I confused the woman behind the bar by asking for chips and a plain bun. I had to explain that I wanted to make myself a chip butty! My friends said the pizza was good, and people seemed to constantly have their lips around pizza and wraps so they must've been tasty! The bar staff were friendly, despite it being very busy. In my tip, I mentioned napkins. People seemed to be constantly walking passed with these stuck to the bottom of their boots, I found it rather amusing! The toilets are upstairs. The stairs are also sticky, making it seem like a mountain hike to get to the top! (there is a disabled toilet downstairs). The ladies toilets stayed fairly clean the whole day/evening and for some reason they reminded me of secondary school toilets. There's plenty of them and I never needed to queue. I'd definitely go back here. It's not an outstanding venue but if a band you like are playing then GO!

I remember going to the old Robin back in the early 90's and not much has changed since then…read more The Robin always seems to have decent acts, both domestic and imported. Some of the names that have played here are amazing. Then... they let me on the stage. What were they thinking? So, the sound was very good - tending to lean toward a "Rockier" sound due to the dimensions of the room. It is a little bit of a "sticky-floor" type venue, but without a doubt has plenty of guts and integrity in it's credentials. One point that I will speak of was the food that we were served. I am not sure if the band food is from a menu that is on offer at The Robin, but it was first-class and home cooked. I went for the lamb shank and it was fantastic. All in all a great venue with some brilliant acts on the roster. I will look forward to returning whether it be onstage or off. A little Robin video footage of my night there below... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPUu1glhGRw