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..

Loved this place! It's like a more genteel Brewdog, and apparently the local Warwickshire brews are…read morefantastic. They also have fancy coke in a bottle so I'm basically sold. The food menu is also very appealing, I had a very nice scotch egg and mac n cheese (with bacon, as I like to add bacon to everything) and my friend had a chilli sausage roll and pork scratchings which he also really enjoyed. Definitely my favourite place in Birmingham so far and highly recommended!

Pure Bar and Kitchen is the hugely anticipated venture between Michelin starred restaurant Simpsons…read moreand Warwickshire based brewers, Purity. Located on Waterloo Street (next to Victoria Square), this venue couldn't get much more central. It was with quite a bit of excitement I popped in yesterday for a late lunch and to see if it was worthy of the hype. It's got a well designed but very minimalist feel. Think clean, fresh, open and basic. With a few different areas including a small lounge area (which can be reserved for meals), an open kitchen (so you can see your food being prepared), a large bar area with a huge beer board and a well stocked fridge of import ales and a few different areas with wooden tables, your experience will be quite different if you are eating or just grabbing a pint. I popped in just after 2pm on a Thursday afternoon. Despite the slightly later time of day (after the lunch rush), it was still pretty busy; although this could be due to the fact it's opening week. It's a little daunting at first, but I spotted some free space on a bench like communal table and dropped my stuff down before heading to the bar for a proper peruse of the selection of drinks and food. My barman (Martin) was serving a group as I approached the bar. He was talking them through the vast and interesting selection of soft drinks available which included Fritz Cola, interesting fruit juices and some of your more regular options too. As soon as it was my turn to be served, I was talked through the options avaliable to aid me in making the right choice. Martin was helpful, funny and made me feel right at home (despite not feeling quite as dressed up as the other clientele having meetings). I settled into the lounge area in the end and awaited my Pea and Pear soup. It wasn't a long wait and was well worth it. Served in a metal mug (with a spoon), my only criticism was that it didn't come with any bread. However, for £4 for the mug, I felt this was great value. The brownie I was treated too was most definitely excellent to boot. Unfortunately, I was in a bit of a rush so I couldn't stay for too long in the venue. Needless to say, I will be back soon (as I told the barman when he waved me goodbye and wished me a good day). I can't wait to try some more of the menu next time and who knows... it might get the missing star on the next visit?

Great service great food! amazing value here and drinks prices are good to…read more something for everyone. Restaurant is good for kids but also an over 18's bar area with pool table. There is an outdoor play area for children to keep them busy and grabber machine. will definitely come again

fantastic improvements have been made at the Cuckoo oak in recent years. the food quality far…read morebetter and at a great price. the pub is clean and well maintained they have a great selection of beers and drinks. the environment is very welcoming and cosy for all to enjoy

I actually love this place. Really sweet with the train set up and great staff…read more We came for a working lunch meeting, and now I really want to come here more! The food was genuinely epic, sandwich, salad and chips- and seriously good value- the decor was gorgeous, and the bar looked well stocked even though I was only on the Diet Coke! I hope to get across for one of their infamous and intimate comedy nights soon

This is one of my favorite pubs in Birmingham. When all food items on the menu are available, they…read moreare superb! I'm wary of going on the weekends though, because they typically run out of the vegetarian items by then as well as some beers. They occasionally host tap takeovers and fun events like a vinyl fair, plus comedy upstairs Thurs-Sat. My absolute favorite item on the menu is the vegetarian filo tart. It usually has a lovely blend of spinach, cheese, pine nuts, and mushrooms and is served with a superfood salad and optional chips. The superfood salad is divine - mixed lettuces, onions, pomegranate seeds, tomatoes, carrot shreds and peppers drizzled with a mustard seed vinaigrette. The chips are always cooked to perfection, never mushy. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. The outdoor seating includes heat lamps for winter and dazzly lighting.

The Briar Rose is one of the new Wetherspoon 'Lodges' which feature accommodation above a…read moreWetherspoon's bar or pub. The aim is to provide simple, modern, good-value accommodation in central locations in major UK towns and cities. The accommodation itself is on the well-established Ibis model: a simple en-suite room, with simple decor, and basic but adequate facilities. There's no room service, but food and drink can be bought in the Wetherspoon's below. The Briar Rose is situated in a refurbished "bankers' classical meets art-deco" style office building, with a large bar on the ground floor. We booked a triple room for a week-end. In terms of our stay, we found: Pros: - incredibly central - between New St and Colmore Row - unbeatable value - £20 per night each (£60 between three) - clean (not spotless, but fine) - surprisingly comfy beds and pillows - spacious, bright room with high ceilings - in-room tea and coffee making facilities, hairdryer - easily booked on-line Cons: - no double-glazing, so some street noise (little traffic, but the odd drunken reveller until 2am. So probably less of a problem on week-days than at week-ends) - no air-conditioning - not much privacy from the the flats opposite (I loathe net curtains, but it needs something) - reception was a bit too casual for my liking, but efficient enough - a mix-up meant the room wasn't ready at 2pm as stated, but this was sorted out quickly by the friendly and helpful cleaner - breakfast not included, but good-value breakfasts available from the Wetherspoons below. I'd happily stay there again (so long as the weather wasn't too sultry), but would try for a rear-facing room. Once I'd fallen asleep I slept like a log, as th bed was very comfy. I might look elsewhere for breakfast, though, which was the only real downer. Although the meal itself was absolutely fine (veggie cooked breakfast for £2.10) and the service friendly, they serve beer at 9am on a Sunday morning, so attracting very late night revellers in various states of inebriation. (Two blokes were actually snorting 'poppers' as they were drinking...) They were all harmless enough and friendly in a drunken sort of way, but the management ought to think seriously about the wisdom of serving alcohol so early on a Saturday and Sunday. It's hard to decide how many stars. I think: - five stars for sheer value - a safe three stars for the accommodation (four had the room been ready) - breakfast experience was definitely two stars. So three stars overall, this time.

Out of all the Wetherspoons in Birmingham, this one is the jewel in the discount chain's crown…read more Obviously, it is still a Spoon pub (so you know what you're getting), but it has several things going for it that make it a more pleasant experience than it's competitors. Firstly, let's talk location. Being slap bang in the middle of Bennetts Hill (just up from New Street), it offers a convenient place to meet or grab a pre-meal drink that won't cost the earth. I popped in for a quick one before meeting Jon B. at Bodega yesterday and was reminded why I used to love it so much when I was a student. A decent pint of Cider was £2.35. Now, with Birmingham's reputation getting better and better - drinks prices are rising. It's amazing to get a pint in certain places for under £3.40; so I was suitably impressed. So location and prices, A OK! Let's talk design. Rather than the bland and lifeless design of some of the pubs in this chain, this one has a focus on animal print (which makes it a little more interesting). Yes, you still have your "cut and paste" bar (looking like every other Spoons in the world), but with a selection of tables, booths and high seats near the bar - it's got a nice layout to maximise seating space. I also have had call to grab a quick lunch or a life saving breakfast (you know what I'm talking about - the morning after the night before) and the food here just seems to be... better. Fresher and tastier than some of the other branches. The staff here are mixed. 9 times out of 10 you'll get a friendly member of staff, but they do get rushed off their feet here and sometimes might be a little curt on occasion. So yeah. If you're in town and meeting someone for a cheeky pint or just want a cheap spot to grab some lunch, I can recommend this Wetherspoons venue over the others on offer in the city.

What a little treat! When I lived in the city centre I think I must have ended up in here nearly…read moreonce a week during that time. I love nothing more than going to a classic, and most importantly, quiet pub to relax after a hard weeks work (and even harder partying on a Saturday night!). If you love venues that have lots of character then you should go and check out The Craven Arms. It offers a great selection of beers for the boys and wine for the girls and the food in delicious. You can't beat their house burger and a nice cold shandy.

I've heard rave reviews about The Craven Arms since moving to Birmingham. Brittany A. and I finally…read morehad a chance to try it out recently on a fairly quiet afternoon, and I can easily say that it deserves all of the praise it garners. The Craven Arms was built for Holder's Brewery at the dawn of the twentieth century. Departing from the Victorian red brick and terra cotta style that is so prevalent in Brum, the exterior of The Craven Arms is adorned with lovely blue and gold tiles, making it one of the more colourful pubs in city centre. Inside, the tile and brick switches over to a traditional 'old man' pub style with wood, carpeting, and dark wood chairs and stools. From the outside, the pub belies the tight quarters inside. The pub makes great use of the space though, and the intimacy and cosiness creates a true neighbourhood feel. Once you grab a stool, be prepared for one of the best craft brew and real ale selections in the entirety of greater Birmingham. Black Country Ales is tied to the Craven Arms, and aside from their traditional golden, bitter, and brown, you'll find more real ales, some IPAs hopped to the max, and fun beers like a red hot chili beer. Hard to find bottled beers and cider in the fridge complete the impressive selections. The pub has no kitchen, but they serve up cheese baps (for £1) and allow you to bring in any outside food and will even provide a fork and knife for you. For the serious beer drinker, you can join their beer club and earn your way up toward the '100 club', tasting all kinds of brews along the way. If you are up for an old pub experience with the latest and greatest in new craft beers, the Crave Arms will suit you well.

The Anchor is a very old-fashioned, family-run pub, a few minutes away from Birmingham Coach…read morestation in Digbeth. It's been going since at least 1797. Although the location is rather unprepossessing - it's in a slightly run-down commercial area - the pub itself is grade II listed, on account of its well-preserved Victorian terracotta exterior, and its untouched internal layout of separate but interconnected rooms (four or five, depending how you count them). Apart from the sports TV screen in one room, you feel it could be anywhere between 1935 and 1965. The atmosphere is very blokey, in an old-fashioned sort of way - there were very few women customers on our visit - but friendly enough. The real draw to this out-of-the-way spot is the beer. There's a fantastic selection of real ales available, very well kept and well served. Many are from small, independent breweries, and there's a rotating choice of them. There are also regular beer festivals, and other special events. It's in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide, and was the local area's pub of the year in 2003. Service was very good, in a business-like rather than friendly way (the web-site is very cheery, though). They are the meeting venue for various local groups, and do lots of charity fund-raising, so they clearly have a regular and loyal clientele.

The Anchor in Digbeth is another fabulous old style boozer that specializes in real ale and has won…read moreBirmingham CAMRA pub of the year no less than four times. This was my first visit and I was enchanted by the number and variety of rooms - large bar, small snug, large snug, outdoor seating and what looked like a library room. I am told this is a grade II listed public house and it really does have a lovely old feel. The real ale 'menu' looked pretty daunting - the ones currently available having a price next to them. I wussed out and plumped for a pint of Erdinger Weissbier - pretty good stuff. It was pretty quiet inside as it was a Thursday evening but it felt nice almost having the selected room to ourselves. I noticed they serve bar meals and I will be visiting again soon to try one.

The White Swan set in an beautiful area of Edgbaston/ Harborne borders. The establishment reflects…read morethe clientele of the area. This opulent restaurant/pub offers fantastic drinks, food and top class customer service. The restaurant in itself is located inside the pub and should not be missed by all fine food connoisseurs out there. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very up market and classy, but it retains a homely feel. I have visited the White Swan a few times for drinks and twice for dinner and been pleased each time. I like the way that there is a clearly defined 'pub' area and a 'restaurant' area as too many pubs are now restaurants in the evening, with few tables if you only want drinks. Ours was a last minute decision to eat out and, despite arriving at 8:30 on a Friday night, the restaurant was almost full - but they managed to fit us in and all menu choices were available as well as a festive menu for christmas. But we chose to eat from the regular menu. They were able to cater for a range of customer parties - from couples holding hands by candlelight to two large christmas staff parties (thankfully, near each other). There was a nice atmosphere and the waitress was friendly and observant. The times i've visited for drinks, we have found the pub area to have a comfortable "post-work" feel: up-beat, but not raucous. The staff behind the bar have been attentive and very friendly. There's something for everyone and for all occasions too.

The White Swan is set in the idyllic background of Edgbaston and Chad Valley. These are by far two…read moreof the richer area of Birmingham and the clientele at the establishment reflect this opulent surroundings. The restaurant in itself is located inside the pub and should not be missed by all fine food connoisseurs out there. The atmosphere of the pub/restaurant is very up market and classy, yet retains a homely feel. The selection of beers, wines and ales is spectacular; they also have an extensive wine list. The prices may be quite expensive, but for a treat it is really worth ordering a good bottle. They've got everything from crisp whites, popular rose to deep reds by the bottle or glass. The food on offer ranges from traditional favourites such as fish and chips and steaks to freshly made pizzas and pastas with the chef's daily specials showcasing the finest market fresh ingredients. There's something for everyone and for all occasions too. ] The've got everything from crisp refreshing whites, trendy pinks to fat juicy reds by the bottle or glass. I stopped by for a pint of ale, read the paper and relaxed and read a good book. I had a very pleasant time.