Another completely unique venue for Bitters and Twisted. Buffalo & Rye is new to the Bennetts Hill…read morescene, and a few doors down from sister venue Bodega. This place generated a ton of buzz before the doors were opened mid November, so naturally I wanted to try it! After stalking their Facebook, it seemed the best time to grab a table and avoid long waits was right at opening. My dining partner and I turned up shortly after noon on a Saturday and were seated immediately. The first thing i noticed is how intimate the venue is. There really is only a handful of tables. We opted for our own high top table as stools aren't the most comfortable seating. The menu is simple and specific. I'd check it out ahead of time so you know what you're in for. I thought the servers were great. Timing of food, not as great. They were rammed but we were the first people sat for the afternoon so I'd expect less of a wait than 25 minutes for starters. We shared some wings and beef chili cheese fries. Now, I am from Buffalo, NY. The chicken wing capitol of the world. We invented and perfected chicken wings. Its hard to compete with our wings in this country. Back to the review, here the wings were left still attached which I kinda liked. Usually you find the drums and flats separated so this was actually a nice change up. I do think they needed more sauce. Ours were nice and crispy but dry. Overall they were a nice choice for a starter. Ooh and the cheese fries are lovely and served in a little baking tin. As for my main, I had a buttermilk chicken sandwich which was juicy and crispy goodness. The roll was a bit too hard for my liking. I left most of it on my plate. But the chicken was amazing. Random fact about me: I love pickles or gherkins as you Brits call them. It's always a nice surprise to see a place over here serving pickles. I asked for some on my sandwich and only got one tiny piece. Step up your pickle game Buffalo & Rye! I almost forgot to mention the cocktails!! Such wild and crazy concoctions here. I tried a grape fizz and red kool aid inspired drink. Grape fizz blew me away. Kool aid was a bit uninspiring. Not as sweet or flavorful as I imagined. There's also milkshakes that looked wonderful. Sadly I was too full for one. I really liked this place. Although I can't see myself visiting it as often as the other BnTs, it's still worth a pop in. Plan accordingly. It's busy!

When coming back to Birmingham, a friend and I, always have lunch and a few beers. The location…read morechanges, but the story stays the same. This has been one of our locations three times now, and I'm beginning to wonder why it's not been more. Service during the day is casual, sit where you like, here's a menu, back in 5. The food selection is BBQ tastic, and is served very similarly to the big states places, on a little red tray. Nice but small craft beer selection, nice range of cocktails and spirits. There's even PBR if you're looking for the complete USA experience. My friend always goes for the Buffalo Black burger, which I have to say is phenomenal. I've varied and gone for the brisket one, and the pulled pork meal. Sides include "loaded" chilli cheese fries - which deserve a mention on their own. Burnt ends (side of more meat please!) and 'slaw. It's all been good, I've not experienced a bad bit of food there. Price isn't bad, for two of us last time it was £45. That was for the two burgers, burnt ends, mac n cheese, chilli cheese fries, and four beers. I'd like to see something like a Nashville hot chicken plate on the menu with the BBQ stuff, but other than that, this place is wonderful. It sells all of the things I like. Bravo. I didn't even notice it was a Bitters' and Twisted place until I read it here..

Looking for some American diner style breakfast/brunch spot, Seth S. and I decided to check out…read moreCelebz since another brunch place was closed. The Celebz concept is based on a kitschy stereotype of Americana with quintessential foods like burgers, waffles, fries and milkshakes. I love a good bit of kitsch but Celebz seemed to hit all the wrong notes. The blaring music, loud colors, and cold interior left me feeling like I was on Sunset Strip after a late-night bender in search of greasy garbage to cure my hangover. The vibe, encouraged by Rhianna screaming "bitch better have my money," was starkly contrasted by a grouping of families with small children. Womp womp. When placing our order we learned that the milkshake deal (+£2) advertised with the burgers only applies to the burger meal, requiring you to spend £9 for a sandwich and milkshake, with or without fries. Seth S. got the burger but skipped the milkshake and I decided to get some pancakes and twisty fries instead. Seth's burger and my fries were delivered to the table fairly quickly, but we were almost finished eating before my pancakes arrived. I was disappointed that the pancakes were crepes not American style pancakes in an American themed restaurant, but that's neither here nor there. The twisty fries were perfect - just like some of my favorite from a greasy spoon in NC. The crepe presentation was nice but the flavor underwhelming. Too much egg was used in the batter, and the egg flavor overshadowed the Belgian chocolate drizzle and strawberry filling. If you're in search of an authentic Vegas hangover cure, this is the place for you!

I am big fan of reviewing places on what they are and as an independent American diner I have to…read moregive this place five stars. Located over by Aston uni campus this place is a bit out of the way but when looking for a late night sweet myself and a friend took a wonder over here to see what it was all about. Now I know this place will not be for everyone, it's loud and in your face in terms of design with pictures of the USA and celebrities on the walls. The menu is made up of a range of popular American classics like burgers, milkshakes, pancakes, cookie dough and ice cream. We decided to go for nachos and a cookie dough dessert to share which were both surprisingly good. The nachos had the guacamole and salsa on the side instead of being all over top which is great for a condiment lover like me! The thing that I love about this place is you can easily sit a chill for a few hours eating and drinking on a quiet weekend night off the booze (dry Jan seemed like a good idea at the time) if you are looking for a place to get something sweet with a good range of options this is a great option in the city centre.

So, having had luck with recommendations from Ben C before, I thought it best I check this place…read moreout on a day in Kings Heath. Now, I was meeting Ben for lunch at Veg Out (see http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/veg-out-cafe-birmingham?hrid=GgI2cmA6RaEsO8pLKdk1Aw), I didn't actually eat here - I just grabbed a coffee to visit and soak up the ambiance (being your intrepid Yelp Community Manager). Al's Diner is just off the main stretch of Kings Heath and opposite York Road. It's easy to spot, with it's American vibe and bright red exterior. As you might guess from the name, it's got a bit of a "happy days" vibe to it. From the red and white patterned work surfaces to old school Americana prints and design touches, it's all very sweet. As I say, I just popped in for a hot drink - but I will definitely pop back in for a burger at some point! The burgers looked huge and were priced around £2.50 (without fries) making it a bargain! They also had a great selection of sweet treats on the menu at similarly reasonable prices. My coffee wasn't the best (it was served with UHT milk), but that's not why you would visit normally. I grabbed a coffee and a can of cola and I believe it came to around £2.20 - which is a bit of a steal really. I was served with a smile and felt welcome throughout my whole visit (despite taking up a whole booth just to drink my coffee and do some work). I probably wouldn't travel all the way to Kings Heath to visit, but I urge you to pop in if you are based around here. If I was down here for the day, I would 100% make a date with one of their calorific treats for lunch or dinner.

At one time I counted 12 places that you could get chicken and chips from between The Sun at The…read moreStation and The Pear Tree. It doesn't take much imagination to offer something original in the ways of fast food. Al's Diner have spotted a niche in the market and jumped right in. They serve burgers, hot dogs, milkshakes and deserts in such authentic US surroundings, (NYC print wall paper, state-side memorabilia authentic shake-bar stools) that you half expect Arthur Fonzarelli to enter stage right with a 'Hey!' and start asking 'bout Richey. This place is very popular with tweens, who have claimed it as their own space to meet, hang out and gaze out of the window while supping a shake. Others like to drop in for a pre-pub snack before hitting the High Street. Families are catered for too, and on a Friday evening they take time out from busy schedules for some quality informal dining time together. Those who believe that 'It's Dork To Eat Pork' can join in as the hot-dogs here are made with beef. In fact, the whole menu is Halal. Service with a smile comes as standard, and they'll tweak meals to suit you. There's a level of community and philanthropy going on here which is hard to beat. If you haven't got an Uncle Sam then you can find a surrogate family member in Al.

Great location plenty of parking, friendly service food was served fairly quickly…read more Prawns were amazing. Would definitely visit again

Love TGI Fridays! Yes, it's expensive. Yes, it's cheesy…read more Yes, it's alway rammed at the weekend. But we all still love it, right? Arriving we were greeted and seated in five minutes, not too bad for a weeknight... expect a longer wait at the weekend. Our waitress was nice and friendly. Didn't pressure for a quick choice and wasn't over the top (as most people expect TGI staff to be). Food was great, arrived quickly and tasted amazing. It is expensive at TGI Fridays. But I think generally you get what you pay for. The carpark is a little on the dark side, the spaces a bit narrower than the standard as well.

After big meal, walking around and playing some arcade games. we decided to go for desert and have…read morea chat. I have heard good things about this place and their dessert. I haven't had dessert from here so my hopes were high from what I've heard, and also couldn't think of any other place that do deserts in Star City. Place wasn't full and got table easily. I love that theres TV all over and they played music videos from 90s. It's good distraction for the waiting part of your food. I've got a thing for waffles, pancakes and crepes. I got a nuttela and banana waffle, which my friend later told me I had orderd the most expensive dessert on the menu £6.50. I felt guilty and knew theres no way I'm going to finish it. You can have it with ice cream or just whipped cream. Less than five minutes and I'm already digging in. I just have to say this is one of the best waffle I've had. Was so soft and buttery but felt light. Just melts in your mouth. I loved it and even knowing I had no more room left to finish I still tried. Banana and nuttela sauce went well with waffle. Though it does later gets too sweet and started to take off the sauce as it was too much. If wasn't for eating not long before, I would have had 2 of these.

Yes please!! It may not be big, it may not be clever but Tinseltown hits the spot. Those folk who…read moreare a bit precious about food and scoff at the thought of choosing an American-style diner over more 'fancy' options really won't enjoy Tinseltown but, for anyone who thinks a juicy burger and milkshake combo done well is just as good an option, you're in luck. Located in the city's off-the-track Star City complex, Tinseltown is in debt to Hollywood although the food it offers is likely never touched by any actress hoping to get an agent. It's all about moderation though so, as an end-of-week treat, Tinseltown offers the goods. The last time I went was a couple of months ago and I stuck to the classics: vanilla shake complementing a double cheese burger with fries. It's simply delish and a lot more satisfying than Maccy D's. The menu offers more exciting options (including, of course, 'Challenge' burgers because America just hearts obesity) but, if I'm going to an American-style diner, I'm not gonna go for chicken or spicy - don't mess with the cliche, guys! The restaurant itself is fine but nothing special (or that authentic) inside, reminding me of a similar venue I encountered at Disney's MGM Studios in Florida. As expected though, the waiters are very friendly as if trained in 'have a nice day' school.

I always like going to New Orleans type places to eat. Whenever I am in a not to familiar city, I…read morewill chose this type of place to eat. The New Orleans Restaurant and Bar in Birmingham was a good place to relax with good food. There people who run this restaurant must have studied the New Orleans palette because it sure did taste like the real stuff.

Having heard and read good reviews about this place, I decided to give it a whirl on Saturday…read moreafternoon. It was fairly quiet with a few booths and tables occupied - I guess not everyone knows about this place yet. The decor of this place is awesome - think retro and American diner rolled into one. You can either prop yourself by the bar or grab a booth or table to dine. There is also a separate bar area that has yellow retro leather seats. I love the lighting in here and there is graffiti style art on the bathroom walls and avant-garde graffiti in the beer garden / smoking area outside the back. Before coming here I had already looked at the menu knowing that I wanted a dirty burger! So that's exactly what I had - pulled pork burger with chipotle jam and fries. The burger was pretty delish and for a starter we decided to have 4 chicken wings with BBQ sauce - this were a bit disappointing if I'm honest. In short I would rate the following elements of my experience as follows: Service - 6/10 Food - 7/10 Atmosphere - 6/10 Toilet cleanliness - 8/10 It would be interesting to visit this place in the evening for drinks, to check out the vibe. They have a quiz here every Wednesday at 8pm and bands quite often play here.

One Trick Pony is a relatively new addition to the Moseley Village bar scene. A whole host of local…read moretalent fills the small stage at the back of the venue on a weekly basis (both live and DJ) which is backed up by a solid menu of pub classics. Whether you are taking advantage of the mid week offer on burgers, or out for a Friday night dancing, this venue can provide the perfect setting. It's well thought out inside, with decor that is fitting for the area, with a decent size beer garden out the back. A word of warning.....I am a spice lover (as seen in my other reviews) and the hot sauce I had here was one of the spiciest things I have ever experienced. My words of 'how hot can it be' were followed with streaming eyes and about 15 minutes of regret. If you are going to be brave a try it....tread carefully! If you are out in Moseley Village, definitely pay the One Trick Pony a visit. You wont be disappointed.

The Sunflower lounge has been a go-to place for me from the day I started going out. It has many…read morefacelifts over the years but it has always kept its stance on playing the best retro and old-school music in Birmingham. Pretty much any night of the week you can find the resident Dj's playing a huge mix of funk, soul, disco and motown in the upstairs bar, while in the downstairs space local bands play alongside more well known touring acts. The drinks here are not going to win any awards for being fancy or ornate, but that really isn't the point of the place. This is the type of place where you can visit, feel welcome and enjoy some quality music with like minded people. No you can't have a cocktail made in a beautiful glass garnished with wild berries but if you are looking for that this really isn't the place for you. If you want to visit at the best times try Friday or Saturday nights as with a lot of places also check the website for gigs and special events.

As the bars makeover isn't yet complete I won't say too much about it but the signs are promising,…read morelooks to be a fresh contemporary look with a good range of music and friendly, helpful staff. I'll update in the future. Largely we went to go and try the new food from the Big Papas team. They have a nice concise menu of American style, big, hearty food (while miraculously staying non-greasy) which, for a main and two sides for £10, is one delicious bargain. Of particular note are the batter they are using, it's unbelievably delicate and crispy, and the tasty hot sauce. All in all it's cheap enough to be a no brainer, although the venue was lacking a certain cosiness but I'll put that down to the work they are carrying out. We'll certainly be going again soon, especially considering they have just launched a solid looking lunch menu!

If you like your food Italian then you would enjoy a night in Frankie and Benny's. Be sure to pre…read morebook as they get very busy most night. The fact that it is busy is one of the only downfalls to the restraunt as you can have a wait of twenty minutes sometimes before you get a table. It is in a nice setting with the canal right behind. There is always a lot of old swing music in the background, but at the right volums so you can hear yourself talking. It is recommended to try and book upstairs if possible as it is a lot quiter up there.

We recently took 12, hyper, 9 year olds for our daughters birthday party. Nothing was too much…read moretrouble for the staff, and my daughters meal was free. It is a nice layout - very open plan with some large circular tables available. And as another reviewer has noted, the canal runs directly behind the building making for a very pleasant setting on a summers evening. I have been to fair few other F + B's, but the Kidderminster one remains my favourite. Food is fairly standard for a chain restaurant, but there is a good choice and it is reasonably priced. That said, I love their calzone!

After our recent trip to coast to coast and seeing some scathing reviews I thought it best to try…read moreand even out the balance a touch. We arrived at half 6 on a Friday, a little early for dining but the place was really quite busy. We were greeted, seated and introduced to our waitress in an incredibly timely and friendly manner. We actually had two serving staff as one was in training so her trainer took a seat with us and engaged in a bit of light banter while she went through the menu. Drinks ordered, food ordered, drinks served and then we were given an apology for the delay in our food arriving - much to our confusion. It can't have been more than 20 minutes. Not that I'm complaining the level of attention shown by the veritable army of servers was really impressive. I went for a black and blue burger with sweet potato fries coupled with a portion of macaroni cheese and Vicky opted for the steak (you get a voucher for a free main around your birthday, normally that wouldn't include steak but there's no restrictions here). The burger was good, although the bread to meat ratio was way off in my opinion, and the accompanying Cajun dip, sweet potato fries and macaroni cheese with bacon were all delicious. The steak was great and very well cooked. We were offered dessert, although there isn't technically a dessert menu - instead the waitress reeled off the desserts available and we were left to ponder them with no reference. I thought that a bit weird. In all honesty after that much food neither of us could stomach dessert so we left it at that. The food was good, the service was good it's just the price of the place that lets it down a bit. I don't mind paying for good food but the best part of £15 for a burger that didn't come close to the best I've had seems way too high. Needless to say though I will probably be back, although I'll be on the hunt for vouchers as I wouldn't want to pay full whack there. If I could I would give it 3.75 stars but as it is I've bumped it up to 4 as it's more than a 3 star venue.

I must say my experience at Coast to Coast conflicts directly with other reviews on this site…read more A friend and I went for dinner there on a Monday night after work and the staff were very helpful. When I first got there, I was guided to the table at which my friend was sat by the attending manager. Drinks orders were taken within minutes and thanks to me visiting the Coast to Coast website before our meal and signing up to their mailing list, my friend and I got a free cocktail using my free cocktail voucher too. The cocktails were of decent quality and were definitely not lacking in the alcohol content! The prices were not unusual for cocktails either - a mojito was about £6. For dinner, I ordered a club sandwich with sweet potato fries which was delicious. The portions are generous to say the least and I didn't think the £12.55 price tag attached was unreasonable. The food arrived quickly and we both ate so much that we physically couldn't manage a dessert, which also reduced the bill! Throughout our meal, the staff were attentive and were keen to help us with anything else we might need. The decor is in the typical American style with pictures and decorations all round, and the music also fits with the theme. The toilets were clean and nicely presented, though I couldn't make the soap work but that might just have been me! My friend and I stayed for another drink after dinner and were not asked to leave or move despite the fact that the restaurant was getting busy, which we were both happy with. Overall, I was pleased with my experience and I would definitely come back.