A chameleon usually refers to a small tropical Old World lizard with a long protruding tongue. However, a chameleon can also refer to a changeable person. The Chameleon in Birmingham is definitely the later. To date, I am still unclear if the Chameleon is a posh bar, a night club/cabaret, or simply a fancy restaurant. Well it turns out, it's really all of the above. And somehow it actually works although it teeters on the edge of pretentiousness. I went there for dinner while spending a weekend up in Birmingham. The Chameleon offers a wide menu which made selecting a bit difficult. Luckily you don't have to chose, as you have the option to get a platter of starters. While the options are fairly standard---typical finger food and stuffed fancies (chicken skewers, duck rolls, terrine, etc), most were tasty and a good start to the meal. For my main I had the duck---which was a massive roast of a bird. Theoretically it was a 1/2 duck, but what a large bird it was, and quite delicious I might add. Desserts, much like the starters, can be ordered as a sharable plate---I wish more places would do this as you get to try out the whole menu. We didn't stay for drinks, though by 10pm on a Saturday night the Chameleon was filling up with a dressy crowd. For a posher night out in Birmingham the Chameleon is worth a try. read more

See all

When looking for a casual Tuesday evening drink with a friend I would have normally walked straight past Chameleon. I was tempted in by the two for one cocktail offer......and I am happy I was. Unlike a lot of places that do a two for one offer, you are allowed to have two different cocktails from the menu. We went for a couple of 'the classics' with a mojito and my favourite, a margarita. We sat at the bar and watched our seeming well-trained waitress making our drinks, both were served perfectly and tasted great. The only reason I am not giving more stars for this place is that it's usually quite quiet and lacking atmosphere. If you are looking for a buzzing bar on a weeknight, keep on walking and go elsewhere. read more

The Chameleon - Bars Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

Hmm, well I came here for my works Christmas do on Friday. Our table was right in a gang way so people were continuously knocking past us. The waitress was very slow to bring drinks and when I went to the bar to ask for a glass of Merlot, they couldn't find a corkscrew! The Belly pork starter was quite pleasant. I had turkey as my main, but we all had to wait along time for the veg to come out. Having said that it was cooked properly and not over done. I had coconut and pistachio cookies with a honey dip for dessert, which sounded delicious, but there was no way to eat the runny honey with out breaking the biscuits which were hard as nails-a bit messy and not what I expected. The music wasn't bad and the atmosphere was good. Nevertheless this all went down the pan when I realised my coat had been stolen!:( read more

The Chameleon - Bars Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

Last week we tried food at Chameleon for the first time. We often go here for cocktails after work as they have a 241 offer between 5pm and 8pm during the week. Inside, the décor was stylish yet not too over the top which I felt gives it a really classy feel. It was about 8pm when we arrived and there were candles on the table and the lights had been dimmed. The waitress came over and took our drink order. Although it was busy that evening, she came back quickly with our drinks and also a side snack which was just what we needed. I'd like to say that we ordered something different and exotic but we both had the Chameleon beef burgers! They were very nice burgers may I add which came with onion rings and gruyere cheese. Delicious! read more

The Chameleon - Bars Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

A very lovely venue which I shall definitely be returning to. Classy venue with weirdly wonderful lighting (I love it)and a calming ambience. Lots of space and seating too.The toilets were so snazzy and bigger than most of my house (toilets are important to me). The cocktails were really nice and they run 2 for 1 cocktail offers throughout the week so even better. read more

The Chameleon - The lighting - Bars Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

Came to this bar over the Easter weekend when I had a long break in Birmingham. I had heard it was quite a 'nice' upmarket bar, so I was looking forward to experiencing a touch of class for my Birmingham night out. I came here around 10.30pm on a Saturday night, and I wouldn't say the bar had as much class as I had read it had. A little chavvy at times in terms of the crowd, however the music was great, and the cocktail and wine list were also spot on. Not very busy for an Easter weekend - I expected this place to be rammed busy! The crowd was a little bit older though, which was nice to see. I didn't fancy dancing to R&B music with 18 year olds, so I was much happier to hear some old school tracks with a more late 20's/early 30s crowd. Smart dress is a must for this place, which is why I was surprised the crowd wasn't too 'classy'. Men have to wear long sleeves/shirt sleeves - so no tee's or vests guys! read more

If you like pink you are in for a treat! It was a strangely mild December evening when we visited for Yelp's cocktail event and we were given our own corner. This is a venue with high ceilings and high tables. Lots of cylinder lights hang from the ceiling and they are all pink! This means that every thing looks pink. pink food pink drinks and pink people. This is a "ladies" bar with a range of cocktails and a dancfloor under a massive glitterball. It's been rather a long time since I've been here and I think its had either new owners or a refurb since I came before. If you a young lady who is heading out on a night out up Broad Street and wanting to get into the evening then this is probably the venue for you. I'd love to go back in the day and try the food and see if it is a normal colour in the day. It gets three stars for being A-OKAY and having lovely staff. Tone down the lights for four stars. read more

Recently The Chameleon has really improved in my opinion and therefore deserves another star! The two for one cocktail offer marches on and is really fantastic value for money! The cocktails are absolutely top notch and I have been working my way through some of their newer creations on the menu and they are a treat! It also seems to be busier when I have visited as of late which is a bonus because it is such an open space, if it isn't busy there is no vibe. Hats off to the service too. Nothing was too much trouble when a large of group of us came for a friends birthday. The bar was particularly busy and I went to order a pint of lager and the staff were occupied making everybody's cocktails. One bartender spotted that I had been waiting quite a while, quickly asked me what I liked, poured it for me whilst he was in the middle of making a bunch of cocktails and gave it to me on the house. I was absolutely delighted! I'll certainly be paying a visit again! read more

This really isn't my kind of place. My boyfriend and I went in for lunch one day as we'd heard it was nice. A very unwelcoming place. It seems to be the kind of place that Paris Hilton and WAG wannabes might like to hang out. I found it to be very pretentious. I can't comment on service or pricing as we didn't stay long enough to find out. read more

I recently went for afternoon tea here with a friend who had been given a voucher as a gift. First of all, I think we may have been the only people, other than staff, in there - never a very good sign! Our waitress was friendly and brought us a glass of prossecco which was very pleasant. She then brought over our tea and food which consisted of sandwiches, a scone each with clotted cream and four chunks of brownie. Whilst everything was fresh and tasty, I couldn't help but feel that it was all a bit thrown together, especially considering how much they charge for it (£34.99 for two according to their website). I came away from it feeling a bit underwhelmed and I'm not sure I'd go back. read more

So far, I've only visited Chameleon twice to eat but it was absolutely faultless. The first time was a meal for two, and the second, based on that visit, a special birthday celebration for seven. I can't speak highly enough of the service, the venue, the style, the food, the cocktails... Izzy and her team are attentive, warm, entertaining and dedicated. The menu is to die for - as, I'm told, is the venue's speciality wagu beef. Myself, I'm a fish girl, and the moules are the best I've ever tasted, and the swordfish sublime. Definitely on a fast track to being my favourite special occasion place! read more

I'm torn whether to give 2 or 3 stars but stick to 3 since we may have had different impression if we'd visited at a different time. The food was fine albeit pricey, we arrived at 8.30pm and after some consideration whether they had space we were given a table immediately. Our main course didn't arrive for over 90 minutes and although we were given a complimentary drink each (as did 2 other adjacent tables), frankly I'd rather they'd turned us away if their kitchen was already struggling to fulfil orders. I accept that most Birmingham restaurants mutate into noisy bars at weekends but this place really goes full on nightclub mode with gigantic flashing lights and pumping music. Had they served us within an acceptable time we'd have made our escape before this happened but instead we were sat waiting and waiting for our food. My Cajun salmon burger had been left on grill too long and blackened close to incineration on one side and we were given wrong side order plus one missing. No way did I want to stay for dessert as it was so loud and didn't want to wait until midnight. Oh and my first glass of prosecco was flat. Weirdly the serving staff are very courteous and responsive, Chameleon just needs to take care not to take more bookings than it can handle from its tiny kitchen. read more

If you're looking for a stylish and tasteful bar in Birmingham city centre with fantastic food and club entertainment later in the evening, look no further than Chameleon. It's tastefully decorated, with lavish trimmings and an impressive menu to match its look. The restaurant turns into a club from around 10pm when the live DJ plays soul and jazz in the weekdays and anthems on Saturdays. Saturday nights are fantastic if you're looking to party. From the music to the lighting, they create a live atmosphere. You can book out VIP booths or tables, but the price is really just to book the area rather than food. They have birthday and wedding packages too. The closest parking is on the adjacent side road, which is free after 6pm. But this tends to fill up quickly. The Town Hall car park isn't open all night so beware of the time if you park there instead! read more

Go to place for 2-4-1 on cocktails between 12-8pm. It was a Saturday and empty but that didn't put us off due to the offer on cocktails. Friendly staff and next time we may try the food as on this occasion we only wanted drinks. read more

The Chameleon - French martini - Bars Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

If you want chic, stylish and savvy then Chameleon Bar will be right up your street. All this time I've lived in Birmingham, eventually I finally found time to go to the Chameleon bar this week! What a shocker, as I'm one for the super chic & trendy bars so I was disappointed to find out, it had taken me so long to find this place. The good thing is that, it's so easy to find, especially if you're coming from New Street station; you just need to follow the back entrance not the main entrance when exiting the station which will mean you are only like 2 minutes away from Chameleon Bar. It's also not too far from the Mailbox and round the corner from The Town Hall. The reason why I got to finally go to the Chameleon was because I was one of the judges for Fashion Rox's organised by Touch Promotions was taking place there. I'll definitely go again and this time I'll actually have time to sample the food & drink as I only had one glass of coke and then it was straight to work. read more

Air Conditioning anyone???!!!! If your going to drop your standards and let anyone and everyone in until it is impossible to move then atleast do something about the smell of body sweat and turn on the AC! So it has been six months since I last went to this place and on my return to England for a short visit I went there for a birthday party. Apart from the obvious lack of dress code they have gone from being a nice maturer bar to the type that just wants to pack out. My welcoming party and friends birthday party that we were planning to co-organise and base here will now have a change of venue. read more

This definitely has to be one of the best bars in Birmingham. Classy and stylish, with a lovely outside area to enjoy during the summer(the do have heaters for the cold period however I much prefer to be inside at that time). I attended a fashion show there as well and the light show was just to die for. Colourful and just dark enough to make the atmosphere a bit mysterious. The staff were very helpful and the cocktails nicely presented. Their menu was also very interesting combining elegant food with reasonable prices(don't know about you, but to me that's a definite win). The average price for a main is about £13, however if you're just in the mood for a quick bite they have the express lunch range with prices starting at about £5 per dish. Age wise, I'd say 20 to 40s however older people would not feel out of place. It does sometimes get busy however the staff are always on top of it. Lastly I think the name suits it; from the sexy and decadent hot spot during the night to the light and stylish stop off during the day, it's truly The Chameleon of the Birmingham bar scene. read more

Much better to party and drink here than to eat. The venue is nice but again looks better of a night. Would eat here again, why would you with the other options in the area? read more

Although a student myself, I think I speak for a lot of young people when I say that often, it's nice to break out from the usual student nights circuit of packed bars and sweaty clubs. Chameleon Bar is a great way of doing just that, presenting a very classy atmosphere decidedly lacking in similar bars such as Vodka Revolution. The ambience isn't the only thing markedly different. They have a fully stocked bar with a wide range of liquors, a significant improvement on many bars on Broad Street, and the menu is similar in that it is a huge step up in quality from your standard bar food. Whilst it's certainly not the cheapest option, as a treat it's definitely worth it. I would also recommend it as a potential birthday location - I first went for a 21st Birthday, and everyone agreed that it was a location befitting such a special occasion. read more

The Chameleon certainly lives up to it's name. By day, a light airy open space to enjoy a leisurely lunch (I was surrounded by businessmen and it seems it's a popular stop off for ladies who shop and lunch). By night , it's one of Birmingham's sexiest places to hang out. The venue is transformed with the clever use of lighting from it's daytime chicness to a trendy, must be seen in, place to be. The who's who of the second city elite rub shoulders with younger up and coming professionals eager to impress their counterparts. Average age I would place at early 30's but an older cliental wouldn't feel out of place at anytime. The music playlist matches the modern decor, a good selection of modern pop seamlessly mixed with 70's, 80's & 90's old school classics. This all adds to the superb atmosphere the venue should be proud to boast. There's a good selection to choose from on the menu. I had a lunch time offer of two courses for £7.95. The dinner menu offer dishes I'm just not sure Birmingham is ready for but I admire any restaurant that tries to bring brum into the 21st century and prove there's more to food than pie & chips, oh and mushy peas of course! The service is swift and professional. The bar tends to get very busy and service here can get a little slow especially when cocktails are ordered. Keep up the good work Chameleon and despite the name nothing needs to change. read more

It's a nice enough place, the food is ok, but not great. The steaks we had were over cooked and over salted. The staff are really helpful, and it has a good bar, but it's a bit pricey for what it is and little touches, like not having cloth napkins, make this place feel a bit low class. 3/5 read more

Saw this place a while back and there seemed to be a lot of posers but went for our works Christmas party and had a great time. We had a buffet and the food was excellent. Music was a bit slow to get started but people were still eating when we were ready to party but once it got started it was great. Plus the live saxophone player was brilliant. Thanks for a wonderful night. read more