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.

The Clifton is a chameleon of a pub. Early evening the TV is on and the old fellas sup pints in…read moresilence in the lounge while watching Casualty. The bar's a bit livelier with a pool table and jukebox. Head there later on in the evening during the weekend and the pool table has moved and the DJ is pumping out old school reggae. Ladies flutter beer mats in front of their face like they are in the Caribbean and the fellas are dressed up dapper. No matter what your tastes it's a great people watching place whether quiet or busy and it's generally friendly if not rough around the edges. Don't expect any airs and graces from this place either but the drinks are decently priced and not a bad place to go to finish off your night after a curry on the Ladypool Road.

From the outside, The Clifton doesn't look like anything special. In fact, being slightly run down…read moreand in need of a lick of paint, it looks a bit like the kind of place you should avoid - unfortunately those sort of places hold a strange fascination for me as I'm always wondering what's happening on the other side of those walls. So one day I did go inside and was pleasantly surprised. The decor is decidedly from the old school of pub decorating, dark but comfortable, decorated with brass and postcards from the regulars behind the bar. Though the television was on (always a bet hate of mine in pubs) there are several areas in which to sit and drink, so you can get away from the television. There's also a pool table and a fruit machine for those who like those kinds of things. Prices are fairly cheap and the atmosphere is relaxed. It's not the kind of pub that I'd make a special effort to visit. However, if I was passing and I felt the urge, I'd definitely stop by for a pint or two.

This tiny little pub is situated at the back of Digbeth, and has just started putting music events…read moreon in the very intimate back room. There's a large glass dome in the roof, which allows the music to resonate throughout the pub, naturally amplifying the sound. I am especially fond of closeness at gigs, so this venue is perfect for me. I went there for a experimental jazz event, which saw Aphex Twin's touring drummer going absolutely manic, bouncing sound from every wall and ceiling. The size of the venue definitely makes music performances become much more personal for me. The pub doesn't try to be anything, and has remained unique by doing exactly this. The large variety of alcohol is truly astonishing for such a tiny pub, and as a rum enthusiast, I was shocked to uncover a rum that even I hadn't heard of called Bootlegger. There's also a wide range of real ale and other spirits to suit everybody's taste all at an affordable price. So even if the music intimacy isn't your thing, the Lamp Tavern is the perfect place to try out some new alcohol!

This is my favourite pub in Birmingham because it's one of the last of the proper pubs…read more Great selection of real ales, ciders and whiskies with nary a cocktail in sight. The bar is cozy and friendly, it's like you've been here with your old friends for years. In the back is a decent sized space with a second bar, in which bands, theatre and other events (including storytelling) frequently take place. It's worth the walk.

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.

Rough and ready the gate is a no frills 'dive bar' just off Ladypool Road. There's a big screen for…read morethe footie, a jukebox I've never heard on and a pool table for your entertainment. There is a large function room at the back but it rarely gets used. Snack wise crisps, nuts and pork crunch are on offer but the bar staff don't seem to mind the locals bringing in the odd samosa from the nearby takeaways on Ladypool Road. The punters are regulars and friendly - as long as you don't get in the way of the footie. There's plenty of banter and the language can be colourful. Try to avoid the loos - they're not too nice!

I went to the Gate Inn last year to talk about an interview we were planning on Britain in the 60s…read morecompared to nowadays. We had a lovely meeting and I must say the place is nothing like it was a few years ago. I was dreading the mouldy toilets with peeling paint, The sticky floor was one of the bad memories from years ago. Happy to say this has all changed. We went there last week and not only is there very friendly staff but the whole place looks and feels more pleasant. There is a chef who cooks up some delicious meals. The bar staff are accommodating. The tables had cloths on. It was Muhammed Alis Funeral that got us there. From early evening to 3am next day, we watched the videos (off the phone) of the whole proceedings - the funeral on Thursday and the celebration of the Champs' life on Friday. We discussed what Muhammed Ali meant to us whilst eating chicken and chips, curry goat and rice, naan bread and cheese. We also discussed future events including a drop in for homeless people, karaoke, natural living fair, swissing, table top sale and bookings for events like Birthday Parties and Celebration of life. The big screen and pool table are still there. There's an accessible door near the lounge and we are looking forward to some entertainment over the next few months.

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.

The Ceol Castle is popular with late night revellers but also is a nice place to have a quiet…read moremidweek pint. With a function room in the back which hosts live music at the weekends and a more sedate bar out front, it's a bar or two sides. A Jukebox in thr front bar keeps things boppin' along and of course TV screens give you something to distract upon. It's quite a cosy place in the front bar, with a real pub interior and soft lighting. Smokers can pop out into the front terrace for a cigarette which is pretty conveniently located throough a side door front the front bar. Weekends see the venue open the rear of the pub which holds a stage and dancefloor and sees the pub manned by a couple of bouncers. The Ceol Castle is a nice enough place for a midweek drink and offers a lively venue a the weekend, if you're passing sometime in the week and the lights are on, pop in for a pint and i'm sure you'll appreciate the subtle charm of the front bar.

First up, a gripe about listings. On many places on the web, the Ceol Castle is listed as being in…read moreMoseley, whereas I would class it as being in Balsall Heath......anyway, unless you use the number fifty bus route on a regular basis, you may well not even know about the existence of this pub as it's hidden away from the beaten track and you'd be unlikely to pass it when driving in a car. Anyhow, it's a nice pub, relaxing during the day, lively at night (especially on weekends). I like the way the pub keeps true to it's Irish roots without becoming some sort of ghastly theme pub, keeping the Irish bric a brac to a minimum whilst still serving a great pint of Guiness and putting on a cracking Irish band every now and then. The Ceol Castle's prime selling point is as a venue for live music and DJs, with events most weekends.It serves pretty late on weekends - it's not uncommon to see people leaving there at four or even five in the morning. All in all, a good pub, and one you should definitely check out if you live in the area.

I decided to take a walk along the canal and find a place to have a pint and something to eat…read more after one loop, I ended up here at the canal house. It's small and cozy and was playing some great music. The menu was basic but was interesting. when I stepped up to order, I was told we're only serving pizza and chips tonight. Eith that said, I ordered a spicy meat pizza and a pint of cold beer. The pizza was exactly what you would expect at a pub, it was tasty, not too spicy, and cooked correctly. The service was good and helpful and I had no problem getting my pint refilled as needed. This is a great place to sit on an afternoon when the weather is nice and watch the people walk about in the area of the canal while enjoying your food and drink. I would return.

Omg!!!! The food was so good! I think I ate it in 8 minutes lol (greedy) or hungry lol. Anywho the…read morefood filled me up and the chef did his thang! The ambiance was nice and the service was great as well.

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...

I have never been in a prison communal area, though I imagine one to look very similar to the…read moredining room at The Merry Maid. The false ceiling is low and holds in the monotone coverage of the Sky Sports from the mounted plasma screen. A heavily chipped wall shows the quality of darts played here in yesteryear, whilst locals compete at pool from the other end. It's not the place I would feel comfortable about my girlfriend coming without me. And that has nothing to do with the pub, its dubious location in Highgate, or its subsequent locals. I just don't want her getting better than me at pool. But, occasionally, it makes no difference whether the dining room looks like a prison communal or a Venetian palace. Sometimes the food is so good that word-of-mouth takes over and you find yourself in the vast corners of society to get a fill, like in Highgate, where even the stray dogs walk around in pairs. And here, on a damp Tuesday evening, the dining room is packed with those in the know, willing to make the pilgrimage. The short menu has a few curries, from which we tried two: A butter chicken was an artery thickening joy, which made me wonder why anyone looking towards the milder side would choose a tikki masala over this, and a chicken kahari, a pungent thing of beauty, punctured with plenty of fresh green chillies. Both were keenly spiced, offering levels of flavouring above your standard curry fare. The accompanying peshwari naans were supple and avoided cloying sweetness. It's not the curries that are the main attraction here, as testified by 90% of the dining/pool room. They come here for the meat; marinated, impaled, and plunged into a seriously hot tandoor. The result is a charred meat, full of meaty flavour and as tender as a newly singleton. All of it; the tikka chicken breast and wings, the shish kebab, the lamb chops, are simply impeccable. Eight pound for the small mixed grill is enough to feed three. Eleven quid will get you the large portion sufficient for a table to feast on. Little wonder they are always full. It's hard to take in that the best tandoor cooking I have tried is a few miles from my door, and harder to accept that I have taken so long to find it. I don't care that my beer choice is limited to the piss poor Carlsberg or Stella, or that the food is served on kitchen tissue. For once I don't care for which farm my chicken comes from, or what grass my lamb is eating. The food here makes everything irrelevant when it arrives at the table. Others have been eating here for a while knowing this. I cant wait to join them again.

Best Pub Indian food in town. Great options for veg and non-veg. Always consistent and fresh food…read morewith great service. Must try the Chilli Paneer!!! Yum! And cant forget the best prices with great portions.