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!

Great place to stop off for a bite to eat, a few choices on the menu for vegetarians, which was…read moregood. The sweet potato burger was lovely. Nice old pub with modern alterations. I have been told the fires are lit in the winter.

If you're on a pub crawl, this is the perfect next stop after Scruffy's or before Jekyll & Hyde…read more It's literally a two minute walk from both. You couldn't miss it either, because the exterior is so prolific and grand. The Crown is a great piece of architecture, and inside, you'll be greeted by a large seating area for food, and a lounge area for casual drinks. The lounge part is accompanied by a fireplace and book shelf; It's very relaxing and makes you feel at home. The food is quite average, the usual burgers and other grub, but you can't grumble because the price is inexpensive. The Crown food definitely matches Wetherspoon's prices. Aesthetically, The Crown doesn't seem like a rock pub; However, the bar often plays heavy music, and quite a few customers dress similarly to the Scruffy's crowd. But non-rockers can feel more invited here than at other rock bars, because The Crown doesn't fully commit to this vibe. Staff are also very welcoming and talkative, while drinks prices are very cheap. Sailor Jerrys and coke comes to no more that £2.50.

This is a incredibly Bijoux bar with a good vibe. It feels a bit more upmarket when compared to the…read morerest of the chain, but I feel this could be due to the Victorian Gin theme. The staff in here are excellent. I asked them to make me a non-alcoholic cocktail last night and was whipped up a gem for the eyes and tastebuds. However, again, if you don't get here in Happy Hour and want a cocktail - you're paying from £6.00+ - so not a cheap option for a night out. Last time I ate here (Booking is a must by the way, if you want to eat!), I had the Sea bass with Sanphire - which was fabulous. The Ginger cake dessert was lovely too. The lunch menu is quite reasonable (and there is a loyalty card scheme - meaning you can earn a free lunch if you eat out regularly). A MUST for Gin fans. Good for a night out with the girls or the start of a big night out. Aim for Happy Hour and keep in mind Thursday/Friday/Saturday is VERY busy (but - top tip - you can reserve tables in advance).

Jekyll & Hyde was one of the very first places we visited when we moved to Birmingham and I must…read moresay it continues to be a favorite. I have yet to try the food, so this review is reflective of the cocktails. The bar staff here are expert craftsmen. Every cocktail is made to perfection. The menu rotates seasonally, so enjoy a favorite until you pick a new favorite. If you like gin, this is the place for you. There is more gin on offer than I've ever seen in one place before. The upstairs even boasts a gin lounge with yet more selection. The deliciousness is in the details. Jekyll & Hyde made use of fun flavored alcohols, syrups, juices, herbs and spices. Each cocktail is shaken, stirred or muddled to be an explosion of flavor in your mouth and served up in a perfectly paired glass to suit. My first favorite drink here was called the Puss Puss Meow Meow. Served in a delicate tea cup, this drink was sweetie cute and oh so yummy. A fruity, fragrant concoction with floral gin notes. On the new menu I'm smitten with Strawberry Laces - served up with little twizzles of strawberry laces. Absolutely delicious. Also check out the French Connection - a warming drink which makes use of saffron gin and cinnamon. It tastes like a Sunday afternoon drifting through the warm countryside. The decor is well thought out and the tables and stools are adjustable for a pair or large group. It looks like a typical pub outside and is anything but inside.

If you're looking for either a glam night out with the girls, or a night out with the guys checking…read moreout the glam girls then Mechu is the place to go. A firm favourite with the cities footballers and high earning business professionals, you can expect to see bottles of champagne all over the place. I'm 26 and the last time I went I felt quite overwhelmed with how many older men were in there. If you're looking for a wild drunken night with a younger crowd then this probably won't be for you unless you go on the student night which takes place on a Thursday. However if you prefer the idea of drinking with a more mature crowd in quality surroundings then it's definitely worth checking out on a Saturday night. Some of the cities best DJ's can be found playing so you'll be provided with the perfect soundtrack all night long.

Although it seems a bit perfunctory to diss Mechu for its VIP-style snobbery and expensive bar…read moreprices (after all, that's the point!), it has to be said that this is not for the likes of people like me who spent most of their formative clubbing days spilling snakebite over their converse in various dark and dingy indie discos. However, having attended the upmarket Mechu on a couple of occasions for work parties, I'm happy to report it's not without its pleasures. It's a swanky bar and relatively spacious, the music from the decent DJs supplying both a mix of dance and urban cuts. The booths are good if you're in a group, but make sure you have a stacked wallet. The thing that generally puts me off - and why I'm probably not the intended audience in the first place - is the 'footballers wives' vibe it gives off. I'm not into my footie, so I wouldn't recognise the much purported cameos from Villa FC players - however, there are lots of glam, slightly orange women 'coyly' approaching the blokes in smart threads at the bar and suddenly I'm humming the tune to that Amy Winehouse tune 'F### Me Pumps' as it could have been written about this place. If you've got the cash and you want to avoid the lower-rent version that is Rococo on Broad Street, then by all means splash that cash here. I'd rather lounge about in Island Bar, thanks.

Excellent establishment came up all the way from Evesham highly recommend it particularly good for…read morewinding down after with dealing with the stresses of LUSA

If you have not been to the Nightingale yet.....GO! Over the last few years it has been going from…read morestrength to strength giving the Birmingham gay community a club to be proud of! From week to week the events here do change so be sure to check the website for what's going on but you can expect drag shows from international queens and music from the likes of Ms Dynamite and Aqua?! Door price is usually around £10 but you can usually pick up cheaper advance ticket options. This place can be a seriously good night out and worth every penny :)

So so happy that the Q Club has opened its doors once more!!…read more This Grade II listed building was the heart of Birmingham's clubbing community for many years, from 1991 until 2002, when it closed down. Now it's back 5 years later, and attracting some of the biggest and baddest djs out there. I went to the Spectrum Extravanganza last night there and enjoyed every minute. Saw Krafty Kuts and The Freestylers amongst loads others. But it almost doesn't matter who plays at the Q Club, the place itself is an event! An old Methodist Church, the place is huge, with incredible staircases, sprawling corridors and a huge painted canvas that covers an entire wall as you first walk in. be warned, you will get lost and separated from your friends quite quickly in the night! Bars and box rooms pumping out music off many corridors. But if you get lost, look for the skinny doors off the corridor, and you will always find yourself in the biggest grandest room of all, the main hall. Incredibly high ceilings, and an amazing pipe organ that stretches all the way across the back wall. the djs will stand just infront of this during their set, and it does feel like you are partaking in some kind of worship, along with a thousand or so others! Sadly the upper seated gallery level has been cordoned off, but the rest of the hall is open for you to dance on. If you're in Birmingham and looking for a totally different clubbing atmosphere from the shirts and shoes that frequent Broad Street, you absolutely MUST spend a night at the Q Club. You'll be talking about it for years to come... Tickets can be purchased onlince: http://www.theticketsellers.co.uk More on the door.

Q club plays good music and Its good night out for students.read more

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...

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.

One of the best nights out you could imagine if you are in to ear bleeding rock. Really friendly…read moreatmosphere with cheap drinks and brilliant music!

Lab 11 I'd somewhere I haven't been to many times but when I go I have to say it's an amazing…read moreexperience. It is everything it need to be its dark it's nasty but you have an amazing time. Everyone is there to have fun and everyone is there to enjoy themselves! No matter what night they are hosting check it out you won't regret it! It's played host to some awesome nights in birmingham and allows everyone who goes to he themselves it's a truly mixed venue and a credit to Birmingham fantastic club scene.

It's not shiny, glamorous or fashionable, but it is fantastic…read more As far as modern venues go, Lab 11 certainly goes against the grain. If you are looking for luxury this isn't for you. If you are open to new experiences, vibes and people step this way! With exposed brick walls, incredible lighting and a distinct lack of décor, oddly enough gives it it's exclusive raw and underground character. The smoking area is fully covered and seems to be under an old railway arch which adds to the covert character of the place. The party spilled out to the smoking area throughout the night which is always a great sign! The bar is small but with a decent enough selection of drinks and a surprisingly short waiting time. The women's bathroom was spacious, with enough mirrors (yes I am being a girl) and well maintained which is always a big plus. Unfortunately their website isn't up-to-date so I am confused as to what nights are held there and when, which is a shame for them and those like us looking for offbeat fun. I was introduced to Lab 11 via 'Massive Events' - massive events for massive party people. Please look for a separate review from me later because their events definitely deserve their own evaluation (nothing less than great FYI).