I am smitten with this gem of a neighborhood pub. My favorite parts are the atmosphere and friendly…read morestaff. Bolder Tap is the flagship location for Joule's Brewery in the Midlands region. The interior has been painstakingly restored to its original charm. Decor highlights include display cases of beer bottles from the early 1900s, a wood fireplace, cosy seating nooks with leather cushions, and the outdoor patio. Because this is a neighborhood pub, families come in throughout the day to enjoy a refreshing pint and most know the servers by name. It's a bit like being on the set of Cheers (American TV show from the 1980s). I went here with Seth S. and took my laptop with some reading. While the Tap doesn't have wifi, seating is comfortable and atmosphere is conducive to relaxing. We stayed for a few hours, enjoying a few pints of cider and then ordered two sides of chips when the kitchen opened at 5pm. The chips were perfectly cooked and flavorful. The portions are HUGE. We could have easily split one side, which was served up in a pasta bowl. The staff were very welcoming and made us feel right at home. I'll definitely be coming here often.

Market Drayton based Joule's Brewery entered the Birmingham footprint last year, opening their…read morelocal flagship location in Boldmere. The Boldmere Tap has refurbished the previous Old Cork & Bottle into a homely neighborhood pub that is one of the most welcoming in Sutton Coldfield. Joule's is a craft brewery that jump-started a defunct 19th century brand (the first ever trademark in England) in the early 2000's that had been purchased by one of the big macro-breweries. The brewery is an easy one hour journey from Birmingham, and centers on crafting real ale with the local spring waters of Shropshire. The focus on the Joule's brewing legacy has led to the creation of some very well done ales and lagers. The Boldmere Tap is the first pub in Birmingham to be under the Joule's umbrella, and features their full line of beers on tap. I recently dropped by one afternoon with one of my mates to see what the brewery had to offer. I have previously tried their pale ale at a pub in city centre, and was excited to see the other featured beers. Joule's has four main beers in their stable, which are complemented by seasonal offerings. The mains are their flagship Pale Ale, Slumbering Monk (a malty bitter ale), Joule's Blond (nice and citrus forward), and Green Monkey (their lager). Their winter seasonal, Old No. 6, is a dark ale. All of the brews are available in half or pull pint pours (a half of the Slumbering Monk is only £1.50). If you aren't in the mood for Joule's taps, the pub also provides more standard fare, including Guinness. All of this is on top of their food menu. The kitchen opens at 10AM, where you can start the day off right with a full English Breakfast for £4.95. The main courses at dinner average around £8, with fish and chips at £7.95. For vegetarians, there are four main courses to choose from, including broccoli cheese bake, mushroom stroganoff, vegetable lasagna, and a bean burger, all for £7.25 or less. The neighborhood feeling that the Boldmere Tap elicits is woven into the very fabric of the building. The pub is decorated with bric a brac of old photos, vintage beer bottles, and a railway sign from the Chester Road station before the branding was refreshed by London Midland. On a cold January afternoon, a stove fire roared near the entrance, heating up the front room. Events are held throughout the week, with a quiz night on Mondays at 9PM and open mic nights on Wednesday. The Boldmere neighborhood, and Birmingham as a whole, are lucky that the Boldmere Tap has been chosen as the flagship Joule's pub for the area. The pub gets all of the benefits that come from being affiliated with a craft brewery, while still maintaining a very old school English pub charm that is increasingly lacking in the city.

Named after the benefactor of Sutton Coldfield, The Bishop Vesey is one of Boldmere's top local pub…read morehangouts throughout the week. Built in the 1930's as a carpentry shop, the two story building opens for breakfast at 8AM and stays open each night until 11PM or midnight. Being part of the J D Wetherspoon empire, you might think you know what to expect going in the door. However, there is something special about this particular branch that effects everything from the decor to the drinks and onto the food. The floor plan of The Bishop Vesey follows the openness of a Wetherspoon with tables and chairs strewn throughout the two floors. Fortunately, the architecture of the building has saved the pub from being generic, as the angles of the building allow for areas of retreat during your meal. The back of the main floor features a faux library that is typically more quiet than the rest of the pub. Near the front door is an alcove booth seating 2-4 that allows for privacy. During the warmer months, the sidewalk on Gate Lane is bustling with patrons eating and drinking al fresco. Hanging flower planters sit above the front entrance, adding a touch of class from the road. Throughout the building, photos and infographics tell the rich history of Sutton Coldfield and John Vesey. The food and drink at the pub are a cut above other Wetherspoon locations, though they all use the same menu and food. I've had a veggie burger and chips more times than I count count from Wetherspoons across the UK, but here it's simply one of the best. Maybe it's something they put in the fryer, but the chips are always cooked to perfection and come out of the kitchen piping hot with a scrumptious taste. On some nights it feels like the whole Boldmere neighbourhood is at the Bishop Vesey, but it never seems to slow down kitchen service. The staff are quick and friendly, and it's easy to get their attention at the bar when it's most crowded. The beer selection here has garnered The Bishop Vesey notice in the past, and they have an impressive eight taps dedicated to rotating guests. Most of these are local craft breweries, like Backyard Brewhouse next door in Walsall. The bar is always running specials on tap beers, bottled beers, and ciders. During the first week of January, they sold pints of Backyard Brewhouse's December seasonal ale for a jaw dropping £2.50. The Bishop Vesey is doing things right in other areas as well. Their hygiene rating has stayed steady at a 5. For the past decade, they have been featured by CAMRA, receiving many accolades including branch pub of the year in the West Midlands. The Bishop Vesey is a solid four, pushing five star territory pub that is doing wonders despite being tied to the Wetherspoon brand.

Named after Bishop Vesey, who also had a school in Sutton Coldfield, the Bishop Vesey bar in…read moreBoldmere is a world away from it. Much more of a trendy wine bar image and drinks prices to match, very pleasant and relaxing, nice to enjoy you're lunch hour in!

Not a bad pub, very "local" feel about it which can make new customers feel a little like…read moreoutsiders. I went with a small group of workmates for an afternoon lunch break. The menu was quite good but the food wasn't prepared as other sizzler chain pubs that I have been to. It's OK for a quick drink but not somewhere I would visit on a regular basis.

Went to this pub just coz it was in walking distance and wanted to do some pregaming before getting…read moredinner at Lime across the street. I thought it was an OK pub. The people were funny looking though. Not big on fashion myself but, I know you shouldn't be wearing tight Under Armor sleeveless shirts in a pub. Regarding the service, the staff was quick to clear our table of the accumulating glasses we were downing and the bartender kept the beer and vodka flowing. If you're looking for a place to just get drunk with friends, its a down and dirty good spot. If you're single and looking to pick-up, your chances are pretty good. I was with my old lady and that didn't stop girls from licking their eyebrows at me when she wasn't looking.

It's a neighborhood pub with a small selection of beers. Cosy and warm with lots of TV sets to…read morewatch sport. Not what I would call a quintessential English pub but a pub nevertheless. I did not mind it but given the choice I would probably go across the road to the Redlion :-)

Food is always perfect, slightly different menu after refurbishment. Service has always been…read morewelcoming and one of the reasons we keep coming back. Clean and always appropriate.

The Sutton Park is a local situated in Boldmere or Sutton Coldfield depending on your geographi…read moreinterpretation. It's quite a large pub, with a large bar area, seated area and a dining area. It was refurbished earlier this yer that has modernised it, but the decor still ratins features of it's history, such as the fireplaces and the ceiling. In winter you are grateful for those fireplaces when real fires are lit and provide some warmth. The drinks choices are quite the usual, but often they have a local beer called Brew XII a Midlands specialty. They also have had mulled wine close to Christmastime. The food menu is pretty standard pub fayre. One thing that you will notice is that the drink prices are very reasonable. ompared to my local's prices, I was pleasantly surprised at the price of a round here. The Sutton tends to get busy at the weekend in the esrly evening when people are getting ready to go to a club or elsewhere and want to meet. A more mature crowd will stay put and spend the evening here. With a few TV's so you can watch football, this is a good all round watering hole.

Located off the main road with a convenient parking lot. Offers outside dining - weather…read morepermitting. Nice, friendly atmosphere, tasty menu selections, and a large offering of ales.

get new staff and a decent manager. get a new chef. enforce disabled bays. serve breakfast from 5am.read more

The Duke Inn sits almost hidden on a side street in Sutton Coldfield, away from the traffic and…read morecrowds of Gracechurch and the parade. At over 140 years old, it is one of the only traditional, non chain pubs left in the town. New landlords Kelly and Mike are bringing fresh energy to the pub, and a new coat of paint or two that is sorely needed to keep it up to modern standards. This includes switching out the previous cider (Strongbow) to Symonds, and rotating about five cask ales (cask marque awarded). Currently, a number of these include ales from Greene King. You can debate Greene King's beers all day, but it's none the less refreshing to walk into a traditional pub and not be immediately faced with a requisite Carling tap handle. The Duke Inn is split between a bar up front and a lounge in the back. The bar has two tellies, a darts board, fireplace, and walls covered in historical photos of the area. The lounge is cosier, and can be hired out for gatherings. They also feature the only pub garden in the center of Sutton Coldfield, currently a grassy yard with benches that will be further developed by the new owners in the spring. The Duke Inn is rolling out activities to get more people in the door, including their quiz night, held on Tuesdays at 8PM with a £2 per person entry fee. You'll find a lot of regulars that frequent the pub, but the atmosphere is still welcoming and homely. One of the few downsides is that the inn has no kitchen, which means no hot food! There are the standard bag of crisps and scratchings if needed, however. In keeping with an independent pub, the pint prices are generally more expensive than a Wetherspoons but cheaper than what you'll find on Broad Street. A pint of Abbot Ale and a pint of Cider will run you seven quid. If beer is not to your liking, there are other drink options behind the bar available. I am very much looking forward to seeing what 2016 has in store for the Duke Inn. The local community seems excited about the new changes, so hopefully their support will mean that the pub stays a relevant piece of Sutton history.

When the sun is shining get yourself down here!…read more The Duke is a lovely little pub, hidden just out of Sutton town centre. It may only be dinky but it makes up for it with a huge garden at its rear. I have spent a lot of summer days sipping on a crisp pint, doing the crossword and colouring my cheeks here. The pub itself belongs to the locals but they are willing to share it with you, dartboard and all. The main room contains the bar and there is a smaller side room, great for meeting up with friends and having a catch up. Keep an eye out for the hatch to order your drinks through, I always feel special getting served here. If you do venture out into the garden you may need some sun cream as the breeze is deceptive and you'll come out of here with a rosy nosey. No other pub in Sutton offers such a garden so grab your mates, an old football, your wallet (as the prices here are a bit of an eyebrow lifter) and let yourself have a great afternoon. It's a really good old-fashioned pub that has a real mix of regulars. The old fella by the door who has been sitting there for 20 years, a young couple with their two kids, some friends fancying a decent pint and then little old me. There's not many of these pubs around anymore so appreciate it whilst it's here...

The Beggars Bush has the honour of being one of the more historically significant places left in…read moreNew Oscott. The pub, the only in the neighbourhood, sits at an intersection that has been the boundary for parishes of old. It's named for a bush that occupied the intersection until Chester Road was widened in the twentieth century. The pub itself has been through many iterations both in name and building, starting in the mid 1800's with the current building dating to the early 1930's. History aside, this is your best bet at grabbing a cold one in the immediate area. The pub is part of the Flaming Grill brand, managed under Spirit Pubs (Chef & Brewer etc) by way of their corporate parent Greene King. This sub brand of the GK corporate empire focuses primarily on steaks and burgers. At its heart, Beggars Bush is both a family friendly pub and a sports bar. Football games are featured regularly, and on some weekend nights they host live music acts. Patrons can drop in for a quick pint, or sit down in one of the spacious booths for an affordable bite to eat. There are also several tables available for a game of pool. Some of the menu items are standard pub fare, while their food challenges are pretty outrageous. The trash can challenge for example, dares you to consume a platter of food resting on rubbish bin lid. If you can eat it all, you'll get your name and photo on the wall of the pub. The drinks here are standard corporate pub selections, so you'll probably know exactly what to expect (which means no experimental saisons). With cider for instance, your only tap choice is Strongbow. Overall the Beggars Bush is a chain pub that doesn't do much to differentiate itself from the competition. While the pub itself is nice looking and clean, the food and drinks are nothing that I would purposefully seek out. I recommend it if you need a quick bite or drink while shopping at the nearby Princess Alice retail park, otherwise there are much better spots to try down the road in Boldmere.

disgusting service made by one of the managers.I wouldn't even bring my dog to have food or drink…read morehere because you'll be waiting 45 mins.I then went up and was told i can't get my money back and to go back to my table.I didn't quite get her name but it was horrible service and she was very rude

Love love love the Bottle of Sack. A true old working man's pub on the High Street in Sutton, this…read moreis a place not to be missed. It was bought by the Wetherspoon's chain, so the food is all very dependable. My favourite thing about this place is the really fine, varied selection of bitters and lagers. Really interesting stuff I haven't seen many places. They also have a wider selection of bottled beers and nice ciders (including an organic pear cider, yum). The food is, as mentioned above, typical pub grub, but it's all really really tasty. We used to go here on breaks from college, and everything I tasted was great. Their starters, particularly the prawns, are good value, and the sandwiches and paninis are all interesting, inexpensive and tasty. The service is really friendly. There aren't two many pubs who would greet a group of eight 20-something college students with friendliness, but they were great to us every time we went in. Sometimes we had to wait a long time for puddings, but they were always apologetic and nice about it. I love the Bottle of Sack, from its food to its beer to its great name that makes no sense.

So, I visited Two Towers Brewery for the second time last night. As it was an event, I am going to…read morepost about my first experience of this beery treat. So... I tend to plan something fun for a group of us to do around my Birthday. We've been to Monkey Forest and done all sorts of things... but last year I was at a loss. Whatever I plan has to be sufficiently fun to appease me, a group of goths and my lovely parents. It also helps if it's cheap and there is plentiful booze (this is generally the case in most dilemmas in life). After a brief poke around the interwebs, I stumbled upon the Two Towers website. Being an attraction that's local to me and makes beer, I was on to a winner. I dropped the fabulous Peter an email to enquire as to the chance of getting a private tour (as there were about 25 of us). About the same time, there was a groupon offer floating about (2 people for £6 for the tour). After having a conversation with Peter, it was decided they would do us the tour for the promotional rate of £3pp (very kind of them). As it's a little hidden away in the backstreets of Hockley, it's worth doing your homework first. It's actually only about a 10 minute walk away from the Clocktower in the JQ, but if you don't know where you're going you can get lost easily. A normal tour price is £10pp (but is well worth the cost), but keep an eye out for offers. From the outside, it doesn't look like much. The first comment I got last night was "Vicky... are you taking us to a carpark?". Well, yes, in a manner of speaking. The Brewery is in an mini-industrial estate. After arriving at the white door (normally surrounded by kegs and polypins), you might think it was closed! Just give it a push and if it opens, the brewery is open! It's actually open 8:30am - 5:30pm most days for sales to the public, but you need to pre-book if you want to do the tour. It's a small unit, but it doesn't need to be large. As an aside, there are plans in the works to extend and buy some new equipment; but I imagine it won't be ready and open in it's new state for a little while yet. There is a small area with beers for display and sale, a hatch for the serving of the drinks and the equipment at the back of the room. Despite it's small size, a tour can be between 1.5 - 2 hours in duration. Mark takes you through the background and history of the brewery and it's beers, the brewing process and the details of all of the ingredients used in the making. Whether you are an experienced home brewer yourself or have no idea about the process, it's interesting to learn the minute details of what makes the Two Tower beers so special. I have done the tour twice now and love it. I thoroughly recommend giving it a go (or you can always just pop in and grab some of the delicious beer for sale). The current facilities are basic, but will be changing this year!

A tour of a Birmingham Brewery that takes its names, and inspiration from the huge history of our…read moregreat city??? Yes Please I was invited to visit the Brewery on a Saturday afternoon. Most of the 16 or so people attending had been given the tour as a Christmas Gift which sounded like a fantastic idea. I'd tried Two Towers before at Hotel La Tour with their amazing Steak and Brummie Ale Pie which made it even more fun to try some of their other ales. The building itself is two units of a warehouse on the edge of Jewellery Quarter with several "vats" to create the beer in. I tried Electric Ale which is an exclusive to the Electric Cinema (The oldest working cinema in the UK) It's tasty and citric as ales go. If you are looking to sample some locally produced ale and hear all about how the history of Birmingham ties in to the beer then you can't go far wrong.