Angelina recommended the Seafood Bowl. It was delicious . Caribbean. Great Service and place to chill . read more

Turtle Bay - Seafood Bowl - Caribbean Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

"Compared to different turtle spots like Solihull, not quite up to mark; food was bland, chicken sandwich overdone, beef sandwich underdone, cocktails were mixed without care, just sweet; however, the staff were delightful!" read more

It was with mixed feelings that I approached Turtle Bay... Some excitement and some sadness. This Caribbean themed restaurant sits in the old site of "The Gallows" rock pub (which hasn't been around for quite some time, admittedly). With the ongoing development of John Bright Street (it's totally unrecognisable from it's former incarnation), it is great to see some of the retail units finally being snapped up after all this time. So. Turtle Bay. I have been twice since it opened. Once for the opening party and once for a spot of dinner and cocktails with Yelper Simone R. I had a smashing time on both trips, but as the first one wasn't a normal evening, I will give you a run down of my experience with Simone. So, as a belated Birthday treat, I asked Simone where she would like to go for a cocktail. She opted for Turtle Bay as it was a restaurant she hadn't yet visited and wanted to write a review. As they have a great cocktail menu (and generous Happy Hour(s) between 12.00 - 19:00 & 22:00 - Close), it was worth a second look. I got down there early and got some drinks in. The bar staff (as they have been on both visits), were more than happy to give me recommendations based on my personal taste. On recommendation, I ordered a couple of Tobago Tea's and waited for Miss R. The drinks were fruity, refreshing and scarily didn't taste of Alcohol. I can imagine these being a bit of a devious mistress if you had a whole night on them. When we were both in situ, we decided to order some food. I wasn't too hungry so opted for the Goats Cheese, Aubergine and Butternut Squash Salad, whilst my dining partner had decided on the Street Burger (both at £6.95 each). There was a bit of a mix up with our server and Simone's order wasn't taken initially, however, this was sorted out with minimum of fuss. Considering I had gone for the salad as a light option, it was very generous. Everything was well spiced, fresh and presented a range of different textures. The fried split peas (at least, I believe that's what they were) were a real treat. Like a healthier alternative to crisps or popcorn! To accompany our dinner we tried a couple of Caprihanas. Again, well flavored, fruity and didn't taste of alcohol. You also don't get too much ice with your drink at Turtle Bay, which means more room for actual liquids! To finish, we both had a cocktail with pomegranate. I cannot for the life of me remember what this was called but it was certainly the highlight of the drinking experience. This cocktail was sharp, sweet and had lots of fresh fruit in it. The bill was extremely reasonable for two. With mains being £6.95 and the cocktails being "buy one get one free", our light dinner really didn't break the bank. I would recommend this place for groups or for a casual lunch or dinner out. read more

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We was in Birmingham for the night and in the day time we stumbled across this cool looking restaurant- directly next to Brewdog. So we decided to eat there that night. We arrived around 8pm to be greeted by a friendly girl who asked us if we had been before and was taken to our table, we was seated on a table for four which i like even though there was only 2 of us, i like more space when eating out, by the huge big windows and near the round bar in the middle. Due to us not knowing the restaurant though i would have preferred to stay around the back near the kitchen where it seemed to be more buzzing and had a better look than the front of the building, loved the industrial caribbean look of everything from the open kitchen to the cool tables and booths and the ace bar in the middle. The place had opened 3 days and you could see this from everything looking brand spanking new. Once we had chilled out for a couple of minutes our lovely waitress-server came over asked us what we would like to drink, they only do Red Stripe on Draft i think but I'm cool with Red Stripe and its a Caribbean drink which i like. so we ordered two of those, they also bring a jug of water with lime in to sip whilst deciding what to have. i love the concept of the huge bar in the middle with quite a few bar staff on all looking very friendly chatting away to all the customers, theres seating all the way around the bar and would love to sit around there next time. All food comes out in great time and theres no feel like youre rushing here, which i hate being rushed! The server-waitress comes over all the time to check that we are ok. the whole time there is a brilliant ambience of music, people chatting and just an overall great atmosphere. The whole menu looks great with loads of different Caribbean starter choices to choose from, from patties to chicken wings and pulled jerk pork which i had which was delicious! totally recommend!!!! For main i had the jerk chicken which was amazing, which comes with sweet potato fries which was delicious and spicy, i also had some caribbean slaw which was also very tasty. Theres also some other great additions to the Jerk Pit BBQ which are basically the mains including Steak, Salmon,Lamb, Fish and loads of other things. My partner had the Trinidad Curry Chicken Pot, all pots are £9.60 each and they are served in cool pots and looked really really nice, i had a quick taste and it was lovely, next time i go i think ill have one of these, there are a few different pots to choose from, and really like the sound of the Blue Mountain Curry Goat! For desert i had the Banana & Toffee Cheesecake with Rum caramel sauce which was one of the best cheesecakes I've had. At all times the service was fantastic and very friendly. The whole bill including a few drinks, service and the entire meal came to just under £50 for two. a great price considering whats on offer. There are a few Turtle Bays around the UK and was happy to hear that they are opening one in my Hometown of Manchester and can't wait to visit it when it opens. Theres not that many Caribbean restaurants around or not in a trendy way like this, its a great addition to the UK, and I'm sure they will do very well indeed and its a bit like the Bahama Breeze Restaurants in the States which i love also. read more

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Another great meal at Turtle Bay last night. Our waitress was friendly and well informed, really explaining the menu and drinks to us perfectly. I decided to go for the jerk chicken with rice and peas and I am happy to say I was not disappointed! It was a generous portion and the chicken was really well cooked. A word of warning here though, if spice is not your thing then this is probably not the meal for you... Both the table sauces and the chicken itself are definitely not for the faint hearted. My friend decided to go veggie and had the Rastafari Run Down; he described his meal as as "a coconut delight", which can never be a bad thing. We washed everything down with a Rum Runner cocktail each and enjoyed the very well selected mix of music in the bar area. I can 100% recommend the food at Turtle Bay but be sure to take full advantage of the happy hours... Two for one cocktails every evening after work until 7pm and again 10pm until close. read more

Turtle Bay - Caribbean Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

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After a somewhat disappointing visit to the Leamington branch of Turtle Bay, I was slightly apprehensive of visiting the one in Birmingham. However, all misgivings I has were gone by the end of the meal. While the venue itself didn't change much (the décor is very similar) the food was just so much better. I had the Curry, Shrimp and Mango one pot and it's a meal I would definitely recommend to anyone. It arrived quickly and was hot through and through. It came with rice 'n' peas and flatbread as well. It was just the right amount and tasted beautiful. I've actually been twice and the second time I had the curried goat, and while this was slightly spicier, it was still fantastic. The cocktails were good but I did think that some were slightly expensive and full of too much ice but if you get there in time for the 2-4-1 offers they are well worth it. The rum menu is especially good. I've sampled quite a few of them now and for £18 you can get four delivered on a board served with a ice, lime and a can of Ting. The rum is all priced the same so there's no 'top shelf' rums on the list but its still a very good selection. The service has been good, though it was better the first time round though we did have a smaller group, so I think that makes it easier. If you want to go, you HAVE to book. This place was packed on a Friday at 6.30pm so I doubt there were many walk-in tables available. read more

Turtle Bay - Curry shrimp and mango one pot, stunning!! - Caribbean Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

My boyfriend and me went to turtle bay after reading all the amazing reviews about the food and the cocktails. We are real foodies and specially him he loves carabbian food so on our day off we went there. First thing I saw when we walked in was loads (and I mean LOADS) of dirty tables. Dirty glasses, drinks, etc. As someone who works in a restaurant I found it weird because I could count at least 10 people on red shirts (the waiters and waitresses wear red as uniform). We were guide to our table and again, table next to us, no one there and dirty empty glasses. A nice guy took the order of our drinks and a few minutes later a girl who end up being our waitress took the order of the food. Food was super fast and it was amazing. My boyfriend had the Jamaican browned chicken and he loved it but he said he could use more rice. I had a veggie flatbread and it was really nice. As a side we chose sweet potato mash but it was quite average, nothing special, the jerk cheesy fries on the other hand were amazing. The major problem were the drinks. I had the Marley mojito and they were 2x1 because of the happy hour (all day but between 7pm and 10pm) and the only thing I could taste was alcohol. No midori, no watermelon, pure rum. I did not enjoyed my drink so I ordered the strawberry daiquiri. It was ok, but again, what is going on with the alcohol?! My boyfriend had two smoothies, and I can't even tell you which one was worse. The coconut one was way too milky, not how a smoothie looks like at all, then he had one with peanut butter and banana and you couldn't really taste the peanut. Overall, food was perfect, drinks not so good. We will go again expecting better drinks. read more

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Oh goodness, I would never say it is a chain! A Caribbean and nice one. Turtle Bay just popped up and added more colours to John Bright street, actually. I can see a really buzzing Summer with all these fabulous bars there. Oh well, I was curious about this place but I do confess I didn't know it was so lively and big. It's massive. I mean, massive! Music is good ( Never heard a reggae version of Wish You Were Here, impressive!) and vibe is nice. The idea was sharing some cocktails with my lovely friend Vicky and it ended up in a really nice meal as well. In the beginning the places reminds me one of those student pubs. Massive, full of life. As you sit down and start to pay attention in details, you can check the nice art work inside this place. The cocktails are really refreshing. I have to highlight the Bay Caipirinha because I never tried Santa Tereza rum before and the orange flavour just makes it more delicious. Really nice way of preparing this wonderful Brazilian cocktail. And summer time will ask me to come back there for more caipirinhas. Food is hot, hot, hot. I loved my street burger. Just a pity that the waitress got a bit confused with the orders but in the end everything was just sorted for the best. ;o) I confess I have to o back to Turtle Bay to have a proper check in the place. I was so busy catching up with my lovely friend Vicky that i probably missed something else about this place itself. read more

Turtle Bay - Street burger, it's! - Caribbean Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

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Happy hour cocktails are 2 for 1 before 7pm and after 10. They have to be the same drink however. Not that it matters - they're all very good. Food wise, so far I've enjoyed the dinner portion of ribs (w/ rice & peas and coleslaw) - the ribs were a touch dry but the meat was tasty. A quick blast of sauce sorted that out. Also the pulled pork wrap is a good size lunch portion - the fries and coleslaw were also well proportioned for the price. A great restaurant. Good attentive service. At a weekend and Friday evenings, if you want to eat - book. It gets busy. John Bright Street will be heaving with people once the mailbox and John Lewis are finished. Get a regular bar stool now.. read more

Turtle Bay - Ribs - Caribbean Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

I remember when I was about 16 and the building where The Turtle Bay is used to be a dodgy bar we'd drink in before heading across the road to the nightclub, DNA. Nowadays this building is crammed full of people enjoying some of the best Caribbean food Birmingham city centre has to offer. When you walk in, you are immediately taken over by sumptuous aromas and calypso beats. The decor is all beach huts and corrugated steel walls, with hand-painted advertisements for Red Stripe Jamaican beer. When it comes to spicy food, my tolerance somewhere in the middle of the scale. I go to Nando's and order my chicken Lemon & Herb, but then dunk it in a bit of Medium or XXX Hot sauce, depending on my mood. I say all of this so you understand me when I say the food at Turtle Bay is some of the nicest and spiciest I've ever eaten. We spent the night quaffing passionfruit and vanilla mojitos, Ting, normal mojitos... And more Ting. This was great and all, but the food was superb. I had the jerk pork and mango salad for starter, and a whole jerk chicken, rice and peas and a side of plantain for main. With a little bowl of extra gravy for good measure. My whole meal was really good overall although the spice was borderline too hot for me. It had such a profound effect on me in fact, that I spent most of the meal sweating and my forehead and cheeks started to flush. I prefer the flavour of the gravy at Flavaz takeaway in Norwood Junction, and the seasoning at Banners in Crouch End, (both in London...) but as far as places in Birmingham go, it was pretty great. The service was pretty good. It was a friend's birthday so of course we took a Colin The Caterpillar cake with us as a surprise. The waitress managed to rustle up some candles for us and bought it out at the end of the meal. Price-wise it worked out at about £35 per head including drinks. Would I go back again? Damn straight! read more

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Where to begin?!...Was surprised to see how popular this place is. You can't tell from the outside. Got lucky finding a table without making reservation. Everyone who were infront of us had already booked a table. We thiught we might have to go somehwere else. Atmosphere is great, everyone seemed to be having great time. I had no idea this place is this popular. I can see why now. The interior is fantastic. Love the open kitchen and music isn't loud that can't hear each other. So the food then....Woow! I love carribean food, and had high hopes for this restaurant. Food is OMG-GOOD, what I had was delicious. Came sssttteeaaaminng hot and I couldn't wait for it to cool down. Tasted great and the ginger beer went so well with my meal. Wasn't too spicy or bland, just perfect. Full of flavours and everything was perfectly cooked. Had a wonderful staff, service was amazing and polite. She came at the right time and wasn't in our face everytime like other reataurants. We felt relaxed and we ended up getting dessert cause we didn't want leave. :) I rarely give 5 Stars but this place deserves it. Walked out wity full stomach and a smile. Definately coming back. Look out for me Turtle Bay, I'll be a regular read more

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Turtle bay is one of my fav places to go in Birmingham for cocktails. They do 2 for 1 cocktails on happy hour which is great. I think all the cocktails are rum based so after a few felt quite merry. The place itself has a really nice feel to it checkers board tables which me and my partner loved. The only food on the menu I have tried is the sweetcorn fritters, which were amazing with the hot sauce mmmm. Can't wait to go back and try the food properly it looked and smelt so good. A place to definitely vist if you haven't already. read more

Turtle Bay - Caribbean Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

I had an excellent dining experience at Turtle Bay, a good 4.5 star rating. The 2 for 1 cocktail offers always go down well. My friend and I sampled a Tingwray and a Rude Boy between us. I'm not a huge cocktail fan, but I did enjoy them both. The Rude Boy was actually quite refreshing. I had the Beef Patty to start, which is delicious, quite spicy, only a little bit small to warrant the £5.10 price tag. For mains I had the 'Our Curry Goat' which is one of the 'One Pot' dishes. A good portion with a large amount of goat meat, served boneless which is good. The meat was so tender it just fell apart, and it melted in my mouth. I really wanted to try a desert but I was far too full. Perhaps next time! I really want to try the rum & raisin bread pudding, it sounds so good. What made the dining experience was the service we got form the staff here. The waitress was so friendly and fun, and also the manager took time to speak to us. Not just a quick 'Everything OK?' but actually taking the time to engage with his customers. I do love the decor at Turtle Bay, and the way they have brought the outdoors, indoors. In an attempt to make you feel like you are in Jamaica, if just for a moment, you have to use your own imagination a little to make this happen. The Union Flag on the wall in Jamaican colours is a nice touch. The only thing that stopped this stealing that last star was that for a chain, its just a little expensive. The main courses are all reasonably priced but with starters and drinks, maybe a dessert, you have to budget at least £30 per head. read more

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I totally stumbled upon this place by chance, I came out of new street and got caught in the most horrendous rain and went here for shelter. With no wifi and no yelp, I went out on a limb, but what a brilliant decision. The food isn't cheap, but definitely well worth the price. I got some recommendations from the waitress and eventually chose the jerk salmon. The salmon was cooked to perfection and the sweet potato mash and salad complemented it perfectly. For almost 12, it was well work the money. Happy hour was on when I stopped by, so couldn't resist a couple of cocktails. For me, obvious choice when I'm eating Caribbean is wray and nephew. Strong, but sweet, so I ordered rum punch. Sweet, fruity and very addictive. 6.95 for two, what is not to love. Can't wait to go back and visit again the next time I'm in brum! Excellent! read more

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Visited Turtle Bay a few times now and I'm an absolute FAN! The atmosphere is quirky and very vibrant. They have a great rum bar definitely worth hitting when it's happy hour. The starters are great, I'm a HUGE fan of the pit prawns and Patties. It's highly recommended if you enjoy some spice and full flavoursome food. The great thing about the menu's are they're very diverse. You can get a great meal on the Light and Lunch Menu with is around £7 and good worth for your money. I've throughly enjoyed the pulled chicken bun, served with salad and fries and EXTRA Caribbean sauces for that kick. I've also tried a Trindad Curry Chicken served with Rice and Pea's. Which was very rich and flavoursome the meat is very tender with a nice kick to it. ADVICE - Always book a table at Turtle Bay as service can be slow due to the fact it's so busy. read more

Turtle Bay - Caribbean Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

Been here a couple of times now for cocktails and dinner. The cocktails are great, make sure to take advantage of the 2-4-1 offer during happy hour. The Caribbean pimms is incredible. The atmosphere in here is always great, but it is always busy - especially on a Friday and Saturday night. I have found it impossible to book a table but had success with just turning up and waiting around 40 minutes for one (this is when the cocktails are consumed!). The food is good. Not amazing, but good and plentiful for the price. My favourites are the whitebait and the sweet potato one pot curry with dumplings. Cannot comment on desserts, as always been too stuffed to try them! Will definitely go back as it's a great place for dinner out with friends. read more

Turtle Bay - Caribbean Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

I visited Turtle Bay twice in one week... Once with my sister for food and then with a group of friends for a few drinks and food. On both occasions we hadn't booked a table but we were welcomed in and accommodated for. There was a short wait at the weekend but that's understandable. we was greeted straight away with a lovely smile by a lovely lady (chantelle) telling us we would be seen to shortly as she was making drinks for the gentleman next to us. Love the cocktail menu. Wasn't sure what to have so she recommended us lovely cocktails (Jumpled Julep and Tobago Tea) which were all 241, which made it even better. The drinks took a while to come out. We also asked for table water twice which never materialised. Drinks service is pretty slow, they should have s dedicated bar for dinners and the a main bar for everyone else. I can't fault the food here every dish was just yum yum yum. Through out the service, bar staff were cracking out cheesy lines 'Jamacian me Crazy' was a personal favorite. All the fun and laughs behind the bar made us enjoy it even more and feel more relaxed. Overall, good value for money, great food service/ slow drinks service. Highly recommended. read more

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Had a mediocre experience although heard great things about this place. Not sure if it was because there was s group of us? Cocktails are fab, good variety. Good we had as a group varied and I got to try a few dishes. Though I ordered the fish curry it looked like the mango and shrimp curry. Also tasted the same. My friend stated she had had the same dish previously and it didn't look or taste the same. Though all preordered for a Christmas meal, dishes came out in if gaps leaving some dishes to go cold. Wasn't a busy day less than 30 people dining. Even after complaining nothing was done. Was offered a takeaway but this was no good to those commuting by train who had luggage. Shame really as venue is great and the music was awesome. read more

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The food here is so good! I was pleasantly surprised, having never tried Caribbean food. I had the curry goat which is an excellent portion with great flavor - highly recommended. The two for one drinks are also a great deal, but don't expect them to be strong. I usually have about four cocktails here before I really catch a buzz. The location is great and staff is always friendly. A must go to stop every time I'm in England. read more

I was so happy I visited Turtle Bay!! The place is well located, nearby the New Street train station. Interior has a nice and relaxing caribbean feel. Bar is the center of the restaurant, where they serve up any number of drinks. I opted to get my food to go as it was a long day and I preferred to unwind in the hotel room. After asking for a recommendation for something more authentic while ordering at the bar, I started chatting while a wonderful man from Jamacia himself. He recommended the Escovitch Fish, which came with a salad and rice & beans on the side. OMG was this good!! I was in love at first bite!! I could not get enough fish off the bone!! I also ordered the banana & toffee cheesecake--just wow!! Can't wait to go back and try some more!!! read more

So where to begin, how about... wow? This review will probably not do the night we had here justice but I'll give it a shot, we'd booked a table for a weeknight evening (being safe as due to opening week were unsure how busy it would be - in this case fairly) we rocked up around 7.30 (missing the pre 7pm 2-4-1 cocktails) and decided to grab a cocktail anyway at the bar pre being seated. The cocktails were a true taste of a good carribean rum bar (the only place I've found them as good as here is my favourite carribean rum bar in London!) and we're swiftly followed by an ice cold draught pint of red stripe to take to the table for food. We'd gone with a lamb pattie starter followed by the half jerk chicken main and the veggie options of corn fritters with hot sauce followed by Jamaican stew pot (the name escapes me) all with a side of cheesy jerk sweet potato fries (worth it alone). With the portion sizes we shouldn't have ordered starters - always good in my book. The food was fantastic all round but the surprise standout was the carribean slaw! Deserts were off the menu for us purely due to there being no room what so ever. Rather than try and rush home on full stomachs we thought we'd take it easy and grab a slow cocktail, so another cocktail in hand we ended chatting to the barstaff and having a good laugh for over 2 hours (comicbooks, manga, movies and superheros were hot topics but that just served the inner geek!), which luckily took us past the 10pm threshold to restart the 2-4-1 cocktails, lucky timing eh? Definately a return on the cards, just hoping it stays this way rather than being opening week magic! read more

Turtle Bay - Circular bar - red stripe on tap! - Caribbean Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

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Turtle bay is well located and something a little bit different for those who fancy some caribbean feel to spice up their week. The food and atmosphere is great but the service leaves much to be desired. We popped in for mid week dinner and drinks and eager to take advantage of happy hour we got in the queue for Hummingbird cocktails (white rum, Tia Maria, banana liqueur, cream, fresh banana & coconut) As we were at the bar a waitress asked us if we wanted table service instead as it would be quicker- why not? We were there for dinner so made sense. What actually happened was that 25 minutes later our cocktails finally arrived after numerous people who were at the bar after us walked past us with their freshly made drinks while we thirstily waited. A thirst which made me and my hay fever ridden throat what to pounce on the nearest glass with ice... When the cocktails eventually came they were very lush indeed, smooth and creamy - we'd had a Beachcomber's Zombie as well (4 rums, absinthe, bitters & tropical juices) which was pretty sweet. But having waited so long there was no chance of us managing to get another sneaky happy hour round in. Food wise I opted for the pulled pork salad with cheesy jerk chips. The waitress asked if I wanted normal fries or sweet potato - after a lengthy bit of banter about how I wanted to go full carb she still brought me out none jerk , plain sweet potato fries. She swiftly replaced them and we ordered a bottle of wine but having finished our food before it arrived we cut our losses and got the bill. Overall the food was authentic, if a little spicy for my liking (as I'm a massive wuss) but it was the service that really let our first experience of Birmingham's go to hot spot down. Maybe the key is to avoid happy hour for for foreseeable future or just to hang at the bar... read more

Best Jerk Chicken in Birmingham. I can't believe I've not been in Turtle Bay before despite passing it so many times around other parts of the country, I've not realised there was Jamaican franchise of Nando's lying around and I thought it was going to be fancy. When you go inside, it definitely feels like an south American experience whereby loud music is playing and inside a wooden interior, all its missing is the sun! Turtle Bay excels in the fact its so well priced but unique foods as well unlike the burger chains or other chicken chains out there. What's nice is the fact they sell 2 for 1 cocktails in pretty much nearly every hour that they're open and that's something not every business can afford to do. Certainly, if you don't go for the food, it's certainly worth going for a drink or two! Now it's time to move onto the Jerk Chicken, well what can you say? It's certainly very tender and it definitely has a kick to it too! The chicken is just how I exactly liked it whereby there were juices flowing and flavour throughout the whole joint, it compliments well with the rice and peas that goes with it (of course it has to be rice and peas for the traditional right?!) If you're not much of a chicken fan, I'd certainly recommend the Caribbean Fish Curry. A snapper mixed with some vegetables in some yummy curry spiced with scotch bonnets, something up my alley. The pot is filled with fragrance with the tender and meatiness of the fish. Turtle Bay is always a easy option for those chicken lovers like me, but you'd just like a twist to it, don't be afraid to try! Would visit again. read more

If you enjoy Caribbean food - what are you waiting for!! Went along to #TurtleBay on the week of its launch night. Brought the family along as you do. We were seated to our table at the back of the restaurant which was great as it allowed us to really soak up the atmosphere. Our waitress was friendly and knowledgable as she navigated us through the menu which was quite extensive. Once ordered we took it in turns to have walk around the restaurant to look at the decor etc. Food arrived, presentable, hot and good sized portions. One thing I remember about my childhood is great flavours, hot food and huge portions lol (Rest in Peace Mum x) We ALL enjoyed our meals, I have 2 fussy eaters and for my 10 year old son to finish his meal whether home or away thats an achievement. Hes now requested we go back for his birthday meal lol. After the meal the desert menu was too tempting so we had Rum and Rasin Bread Pudding to take away - Yes they do a take away menu too. I had Ginger tea to finish my meal, it came in a huge pot which I shared, warming and lush it tasted like hot home made ginger beer, a great way to end a meal. On a different note - loo's - we all need loo's. At Turtle Bay they are just like some that you see when you travel in the caribbean to add to the theme - minimal, zinc but clean Great Food!! Friendly staff!! Superb location!! Nice to see John Bright St building up as a hub of activity like it was in the 90's. read more

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So after experiencing the turtle bay restaurant in Bristol, I thought it was about time I tried the Birmingham one to see if the Bristol one was a fluke or there all actually top notch restaurants. The restaurant is located on John bright street, they have prime location to be fair because once the mailbox is finished along with John Lewis there's gonna be so much footfall around them streets! Anyway back to turtle bay! Lol. As soon as I walked into the place I knew Bristol wasn't a fluke they really know how to make people feel welcome with a mixture of friendly staff and really well thought out decor they make for a real warm and friendly experience. We was shown to a table by our waitress Kirsty who by the way was fab! Proper down to earth girl with a bubbly warm personality. We was sat right next to the chef so the smell of food hit us straight away! Yum! Being happy hour on the cocktails it only seemed polite to order some! Haha, I went for the Marley mojito and OMG it was delicious (watermelon and rum with mint, tastebuds were having a whale of a time!) Then it came to the food, last time I had the pulled pork bun which was top notch so I thought I would stick with a burger because being half 10 on the night didn't wanna have to much of a heavy meal, I went for the street burger and my god it was tasty!! God knows why they offer you salad or chips because the way the serve their chips who on earth would want the salad haha. Kirsty gave us enough room for us to enjoy our meal but wasn't to fair away that we had to look for her if we needed anything. Hats off to turtle bay if it was a baseball game they would be hit a home run in my eyes. 100% recommend this place to anyone. read more

Turtle Bay - Street burger yummy!! - Caribbean Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

I've been here a few times now, once just for drinks and last week for an impromptu mid-week dinner. Turtle bay has a great happy hour offer where you can have two for one cocktails EVERY DAY from lunch time until 19:00 and then again after 22:00 until they close. So its well worth popping in for a cheeky drink if you fancy something different and its well situated and conveinient for the station or going onwards for the rest of your evening. In fact, John Bright St. is quickly becoming my favourite place to hang out. Theres a good selection on the drinks side of things, some delicious non-alcoholic options, Red Stripe on draft (a guilty pleasure of mine) and then cocktails, all with a Caribbean twist. The food is amazing, although if you're not into spicy food I would give it a miss, even the chips are well seasoned - and delicious!! As usual, my gripe is that the veggie options are limited, in fact I have already eaten my way through the options (go for the squash flatbread) so this time I opted for a pulled pork wrap. Oh my, I was not disappointed. The only unfortunate thing is that the service wasn't great. The person on the front of house spent the ten minutes we were waiting on the phone without making eye contact whilst a queue built up around the door. Our waiter was nice and our food arrived quickly but we had almost finished our meals before our drinks came - not great when everything is spiced! This is probably a bit of a blip though. It was mid-week but they seemed quite busy so I am still happy to recommend giving Turtle Bay a visit. Anywhere with four types of hot-sauce on the table and such a great deal on cocktails has me coming back for more. read more

This only gets a 4* because the service was not that great but everything else was very good. Real nice atmosphere, very nice food (the pulled pork was on point!). My burger was fantastic. And the coleslaw was very nice indeed. read more

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As a big foodie who eats out in Birmingham fairly frequently, I noticed there doesn't seem to be many African-Caribbean style places to eat at (unless you count the annual Birmingham Food Festival which serves some of the best Jerk Chicken you'll ever taste!) - but apart from that, we are fairly limited. And so - by recommendation from local Birmingham food bloggers, I took the chance to visit one of the newest and freshest Caribbean restaurants to enter the city, Turtle Bay. The brand spanking new restaurant sits comfortably next to Brew Dog on John Bright Street in Birmingham. There are several other branches dotted around the likes of London, Bristol, Manchester and a few other places around the UK, but on arrival, you wouldn't think it was a food chain at all. Our waitress, Gem, who was incredibly friendly, came to take our drink order a couple of minutes after being sat. The service here is very efficient and they don't keep you waiting - but don't rush you either! I happened to stumble upon the Caribbean Pimms cocktail, which consisted of Pimms, mint, fresh juice and a variety of fruit. I was also excited to find out they run a seven-hour happy hour, which runs from midday until 7pm, and then again from 10pm until they close! The bonus also being that they do a 2-4-1 deal on cocktails. What I also thought was great was Josh's Ginger Beer arrived in a glass bottle instead of just a normal glass. The place pushes boundaries in order to create a unique dining experience. Drinks ahoy! The place itself is very quirky and is covered in lights which wrap around all of the sitting areas, giving the place a warm and vibrant feel. It is also extremely colour and has a lot of character. Josh also noticed that the kitchen area sits inside an old blue container (the kind you would see lorries carrying) but has been converted into the serving hatch - very awesome! What made me laugh most was Josh coming back from the toilets and looking me dead in the eye, saying "The toilets have been converted into what looks like a shanty town!". The food we ate was absolutely amazing and full of flavour. I'm not the type of person to enjoy spicy food. I mean, I eat korma's for god's sake! But when my Jerk Steak arrived, my mind was blown. It was medium rare and just cut open so easily. It was like slicing through butter. Josh on the other hand, had Jerk Chicken, which was also accompanied with sweet potato fries. I made sure to order a side of dumplings, which were also cooked to perfection. After several bites of my food, I persistently returned to two cocktails, which were so fruity and inviting. I also want to mention that although the staff are extremely attentive, they don't ask you how your food is right at the moment when you have your mouth full of food. (Have you noticed food places do that alot? I think it's so you can't complain to them while your mouth is full of food...). After our mains, we ordered two desserts. Our waitress told us the Caymana's Rum Cake - (A warm golden mellow rum cake, rum caramel & vanilla ice cream) was exceptional so we ordered that, alongside the Spiced Chocolate Pot for myself which was a melted chocolate type texture, combined with orange zest and coconut shavings. All of it was topped off with coconut ice-cream. I was in heaven. Although the Birmingham Turtle Bay is just a couple of weeks old, I somehow feel that the place will take off very quickly. The food is not that expensive and doesn't break the bank, but you certainly get what you pay for. The place was already packed out with happy diners upon our arrival, so they can't be doing too badly. Upon asking for the bill, Gem brought over a competition card for us to fill out. The idea is, whoever draws the best Turtle can have the chance of winning a bottle of rum, and even a trip to the Caribbean itself! Josh made an attempt to draw a beautiful turtle. I hope we win! Afterwards, Josh and I met a couple of close friends for another cocktail in their bar area. There is nothing better than having amazing food, great cocktails and perfect company to finish off a good day. Today was a success and I will definitely be going back for more dining experiences here during the summer. read more

Being a lover of Caribbean cuisine and cut price cocktails, it is safe to say that Turtle Bay is very me! I have visited this place frequently since it opened and for the most part I have always left extremely happy. When I last dined here, I chose the Jerk Lamb - Grilled jerk marinated & glazed lamb steak, fresh green seasoning, Caribbean slaw & sweet potato mash. It was absolutely delicious. Everything was cooked perfectly and the spice was on the right side of hot without being too over-powering, but personally, I like my food spicy! I washed this down with a Tobago Tea, one of the many cocktails on the extensive list, including some refreshing frozen cocktails. The service here is always incredibly friendly and helpful and we usually end up having a laugh with the members of staff. My only concern is when I have took advantage of the 2 for 1 cocktails during their happy hours, the service at the bar is disorganised. Even when it is has not been too busy, we have had to wait a long time for our drinks as their seemed to be no order to service, which frustrated me. However, this is not always the case and the pro's far outweigh the con's. I would 100% recommend to anybody who likes their food flavourful and their cocktails cold! read more

I went to Turtle bay this weekend for my 'Happy Unbirthday' meal with my friends. Being a lover of food, cocktails (and being of Caribbean descent!) I am always on the lookout for places where I can get some delicious Caribbean goodies!nwhen I came to Birmingham last month, my friends and I tried to get a table, but alas the place as full with a massive waiting list, this time I booked 3 weeks in advance to make sure! Upon walking in we were shown to our table, which annoying was a very high table with stool-like seating, which I personally do l not like sitting at for eating as I find it really uncomfortable. I asked a member of staff if we could move to an empty table, to which he replied 'no' - which is one of the reasons Turtle Bay won't get 5 stars from me. They should perhaps offer you a choice as to what kind of table you would like to sit at when you make a booking. We ordered some cocktails, passion fruit mojitos and Island ice tea. I asked the server if I could have the mojitos made slightly sweeter than usual, to be told 'no, you have to have the cocktails as they come' - which is why I have taken another star off my rating! The server actually came back with an extra cocktail that we didn't order, but when I pointed out her mistake she let us have it any way which was nice. One of my party had a red stripe shandy which tasted amazing! For starters I had Jerk Chicken wings. As Turtle Bay is a chain, I wasn't expecting great portions or really flavoursome Caribbean food, however the chicken wings were off the hook! My eyes were watering they were so spicy! For the main I had the Jerk burger. To be honest, it wasn't great. The burger itself was pretty underwhelming and didn't really have much flavour. I'd definitely go again and give some of the other food a try, but I still think I cook better Caribbean food myself ;) read more

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Happy hour 12-7 and after 10! I tried this place for the first time this evening with a friend who had also never been here. it is new to Birmingham but is apparently part of a small chain. We arrived at 6.30pm and were seated quickly. We were pleasantly surprised to find it was still happy hour so order cocktails straight away. I had the hummingbird, which turns out to be basically a banana milkshake. It was lovely, but maybe not with a big meal! We also ordered our meal at the same time. We had to wait a while for anyone to take our order so had time to look at the food menu. Our food came almost immediately. Which was a shame as we sat there a while waiting for the drinks and had to chase them up too. Nevertheless I ordered the Trinidad curry and it was absolutely delicious! My friend also enjoyed her main. We bother ordered desserts ( banana fitters and rum cake) and they were also yummy. Total bill including an extra cocktail was £48-not bad! We would both definitely go back again. read more

Turtle Bay - Trinidad curry:) - Caribbean Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

We came here on the recommendation of a friend who had been to another branch and loved it. It was Friday evening and by 6pm, already filled almost to capacity. Unfortunately there had been a mistake with our booking and as we were a big group, they couldn't seat us until 9pm. Not a big problem as we were able to indulge in a few 2for1 cocktails until 7pm (the Marley Mojito is highly recommended), and then popped out for a while to return at 9. When we got back we were told it would be another 15 mins but by 9.30 we were still waiting and I was getting pretty agitated (those who know me know that when I'm hungry, you'd better not stand between me and my dinner). We were finally seated by 9.40 and our waitress was friendly and attentive, and thankfully the food was definitely worth waiting for. I had pulled pork to start followed by a pit burger. Both were perfectly spiced and generously served. The sweet potato fries were hot and crisp and I loved the addition of tropical fruits such as mango, coconut and pineapple to the otherwise savoury dishes. Overall, I would recommend this place but perhaps a busy Friday evening is not the best time if you're in a rush to eat. read more

Wicked place to be music great atmosphere great lovely bar staff and mind blowing food hard to get a table for more than 2 tho booking is advised if they answer the phone !! That is read more

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Have eaten here a few times since it opened. The food is OK but nothing amazing. Service can be a bit hit or miss. Twice I've got bored of waiting for my drinks which have been sitting on the bar to be carried over and gone and fetched them myself. The Caribbean food is tasty and typically spicy but at the end of the day this is a chain restaurant so it isn't the most authentic out there. It's about as close as you can get in Birmingham though. read more

Turned up around half 6 on a Wednesday night and it was crazy busy but was lucky to get a table straight away. Mostly positives from this place and I would certainly come again as the food was great and the drinks were amazing. Something different than your usual dining experience in Birmingham and really fair on prices. However there were a few negatives but it isnt something that can't be fixed on a less busy night. The layout of the tables isnt ideal as we had a large group of people near us and a couple decided to join us at the end of our table as there was no room for them anywhere else which was unwanted and a bit intrusive (especially when they helped themselves to our jug of water). The service was a bit on the slow side but that was due to how busy it was and the waitress was apologetic but the wait for a knife and fork meant my food was stone cold and I had to nick one off another table before she got back to us. Other than that a very unique place and I would come back again any time and will if I'm in Birmingham. The business on a Wednesday night just reflects how good the place is. read more

A colleague and I went for the light lunch one Friday, although I wasn't very busy there was still a nice atmosphere and worked perfectly as a place to chat and catch up. I orders the ribs and upgraded to the sweet potato fries and it came with a side of coleslaw. The food came fast and it was lovely, the flavours were great, although for a light lunch it was quite large, although that didn't stop me finishing the entire plate. We weren't drinking but sampled a fruit cocktail which was really zingy and fresh. I want to head back to sample more which is always a good sign. read more

Turtle Bay is a real crowd-pleaser and is always busy. The decor is really funky and takes inspiration from Carribean beach bars, which gives it a really cool feel. The staff are very friendly and knowledgable about the food and drinks, and there is an open kitchen so you can watch the chefs at work, which usually involves a lot of fire and some fantastic smells - it's always hard not to order food when just going in for drinks, as the smell fills the whole place! The atmosphere is always spot on, with some funky music playing and a buzzing, busy feel. The seating area is laid back and loud, which usually makes for a relaxed and fun evening. For drinks, it is always incredibly popular due to their 2-4-1 cocktail deal until 7pm and then after 10pm too. You'd be pretty daft to go for cocktails in the interval that they are full price! The 2 cocktails do have to be the same however, and the menu is fairly limited, but this is because they are nearly all rum based. At the weekends it can take a very long time to get served, so I would recommend groups getting 2 each at once and then sharing/swapping so that you don't have to go back to the bar for a while! The food at Turtle Bay is brilliant. It's not great if you aren't a fan of spice, but if you are, the flavour combinations are great and the menu has a lot of choice. There isn't a lot of choice for vegetarians, but the vegetarian curry the 'run down' is gorgeous and certainly doesn't feel like an afterthought. They also do some brilliant sweet potato fries, so make sure to order them if you visit! read more

Love the food here , its so vibrant and beautifully seasoned. Happy hour runs pretty much all day where it's 2 for 1 on cocktails. I do find some of the cocktails a bit too sweet and too much juice but the food here is fresh and tasty. I particularly enjoy the jerk chicken and the fish one pot. The atmosphere is great especially on a weekend when it's busy and the music is pumping! read more

Turtle Bay - Jerk pork dish with sweet poato fries - Caribbean Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

Inside Turtle Bay is a space of neon lights, corrugated steel and bare brick walls with murals of generic Caribbean imagery, such as the Jamaican flag. In truth, the interior is a success; it has warmth and cosiness despite the industrial girders and bare concrete flooring. The food is anything but a success, veering from being very average to very bad. Average would be the flatbread, overworked and dressed with limp rocket leaves. The very bad were the duck rolls, three pieces, each dry and cloyingly sweet. Served with this was a sour orange chutney which was essentially a bitter marmalade with added raisins that destroyed the already limited flavour of the poultry. I understand that on paper it should provide contrast, but really, someone from head office should try it before sanctioning it. If I have ever eaten a more ill-judged starter it has been long banished from my memory banks. Jerk chicken is a dish that I have loved ever since a holiday in Montego Bay ten years ago, where they cook it roadside on reversed metal bin lids. At best the bird has depth and heat from Allspice and Scotch Bonnet which infiltrate the meat from a lengthy marinade. Here they had succeeded in keeping the chicken moist, but I doubt the meat had spent long enough in the marinade as it was lacking in the flavour I have come to expect from good jerk cooking. There were a portion of sweet potato fries which seem to have appeared everywhere, a clumpy red cabbage 'slaw and an additional side of heavy and dried out fried dumplings. The dumplings are yours for £2.35 to look at and wonder why you ever bothered. Better was a browned chicken stew with rice and more of the tired dumplings. The chicken having good flavour from the slow braise in the cooking liqueur. Both main courses are a few pence under a tenner. I can think of at least two places in the city where superior examples can be had for half that price. I'll try to be positive here: They do good cocktails and sell Guinness Punch with rum that could fuel an army. Its a nice place to enjoy a drink and they have Happy Hour everyday. But that's it. I haven't anything positive to say about the food which is essentially New Generation Nando's, only with better booze and Bob Marley on the stereo. Our waitress, who, I should point out was utterly charming, asked how everything was. I mumble "okay" because she was too nice to be told otherwise. read more

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Excellent food and phenomenal Drinks, must go place. So good, don't no where to start. Service friendly and very helpful. read more

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