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    Byzantium

    4.6 (13 reviews)
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    Byzantium Photos

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    Byzantium
    Ben C.

    Tapas eating is certainly different in England to in Spain. In Barcelona I've had tapas with some locals as an after-work quick fix standing up outside a bar; a little stop gap to soak up an early evening beer. In England tapas is more likely to be served as an evening meal for a formal celebration, lots of small dishes ordered to be shared between a couple or a small group of good friends. From the times that I'd peered in through the window, Byzantium looked expensive and exclusive. Softly lit with soft furnishings and ornate candle lamps with detailed filigree, it looked fit for royalty and I assumed the food would have a price tag to match. To start with we had sherry. Not the sickly sweet type that you associate with grandma, but an ice-cold, bone-dry fino. Soon after the orders started coming. Fussy eaters would ask that all the courses are bought out at the same time, but I took delight in how the courses came. The flatbreads and olives first, followed soon after by garlic and chilli chickpeas, chorizo and garlic, a shellfish dish (the name of which escapes me), and the piece de resistance Higados de Pollo al Vino de Jerez. (Chicken Livers in Sherry Sauce). I know that they are but a few ingredients in this dish but it is hard to get it right. The chef at Byzantium should be proud of his version. A good ratio of cream to Sherry, with the chicken livers cooked perfectly; pink but hot throughout. I was misguided about the prices too which represent good value for money. Go down and see for yourself.

    Loretta J.

    I just love Byzantium. I have been a few times now with a variety of friends and have always enjoyed the experience. The restaurant is small enough to be cosy, but not so small that it is claustrophobic, and they have a great menu of tapas inspired dishes from around Europe. Last week three friends and I met for lunch at Byzantium. Between us we chose eight dishes and loved every bite. I was following a low carb diet at the time but was happy to find that I could still eat most of the food on the menu. Among our selection were the meatballs (great sauce and three meaty balls), a couple of tortillas to share (no soggy egg bits!), chorizo and chickpeas, halloumi salad (delicious), chicken skewers, lamb skewers (tender slivers of lamb served with dip) and patatas bravas (a tapas staple). Everything was great. There was plenty of salad with each dish to balance out the meat and everything came within a reasonable amount of time. I chose a glass of the house red wine to go with my meal, and it really complemented the meat. The service here is great and the décor is interesting. I can't wait for my next visit.

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    Review Highlights - Byzantium

    So, Byzantium is greatly located in Kings Heath but fortunately hidden from the high street where it can be busy.

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    The Gin Vault

    The Gin Vault

    3.9(8 reviews)
    3.1 miHistorical Quarter - Convention Quarter, Westside
    ££

    I want to rate this 5* but for me there are still a few teething problems with this…read moreplace....overall however a pretty good first experience. We went into the tiny entrance way off the canal and were surprised to see a pretty cost bar inside. The drinks on offer are chalked up on the walls for you to look at and the whole place is table service which is a nice touch. We went for a cocktail in a tea pot for two which although cute looking was mainly ice and you did not get much drink out of it. I swiftly changed to a beer which was a much better option even though they only have a few on tap. The gin and tonics look like the star here after seeing them sent out. I'll have to come back to try one asap. This is still a very thrown together bar but that's part of the charm. It think elements of the drinks need tweaking but it's still a great place to go off the beaten track in the city centre!

    Tapas 5* 3 for a tenner, I went calamari, prawns and olive…read morebread with oil/balsamic. It was top-notch, I was most impressed Gin 5* I almost took off a mark as the choices are dazzling! The barman was very patient and the globular glasses allowed the aromas to circulate- Rosemary & lemon. Next time I'll be more adventurous. The bar 4* I learned afterward it's meant to be table service, that needs to be made easier to understand. Well stocked but a little cramped to stand there. The seating environment/tables 2* So you have great food & drinks, but if you aren't comfortable your enjoyment level will never be great. It's a curious space with lots of little corners, but with a little investment and design it can be made more accommodating IMO. I'd go back for a drink, but the eating experience needs to be better so I can enjoy more of your lovely tapas.

    Photos
    The Gin Vault
    The Gin Vault
    The Gin Vault - Tempura King Prawns

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    Tempura King Prawns

    Rico Libre - Quail

    Rico Libre

    4.2(21 reviews)
    3.0 miDigbeth
    £

    Great tapas bar with the always welcome addition of.......bring your own booze. Admittedly the wine…read morethat my dad had managed to select was pretty rubbish but still nice to see! So anyway....the food! I thought all of the food we had was great but I have to say that the dishes from the standard menu were better than those on the specials board for me! You can't meat a classic dish from any area of the world when it's done properly and everything we had from Rico Libre was spot on. -The Stars Of The Show- Chill Prawns Patatas Bravas Livers served with chorizo Our waitresses and the owners were so nice and welcoming and the service generally could not have been better. I would recommend this hidden gem to anyone that is a fan of Spanish food and wants a truly authentic experience in Brum.

    What a fabulous little gem this place is! Hidden in the deepest, darkest backstreets of Digbeth…read more(well, that might be an exaggeration but it is away from the main drag), this little Tapas joint only came to my attention via Twitter. After hearing some of the Birmingham Twitterati talk about a hot new venue, I knew we had to be one of the first people to go and try it! Firstly, let's talk booking. I had messed up with the night I had originally planned to take the guys and had put the event down as a Tuesday night (when they aren't open). Erica G. had handily spotted my mistake and spurred me into action booking the venue. I messaged them via their Facebook page and got a response almost instantaneously. Although they weren't open the night I had specified, they offered to open up as a private party for us (which is available to anyone), but I figured the minimum spend of £200 might be a tad unachievable for the amount of people that wanted to come along. After a new date was decided, I got in contact and booked for 10 people. Over the next week or so, that quickly became 12 people, which became 14... On the day itself I had to change the booking for 19 people; but they were fantastic and accommodating throughout the whole process and insisted that I wasn't being a pain (which I was!). The table was booked for 7:30, but I decided it would be prudent to get down a little earlier to ensure everyone knew we were there. We were greeted warmly and shown to our large table put together to fit the majority of our group. The venue is BYOB and we were given glasses and our bottles were opened whilst we waited for everyone to arrive. The venue isn't the Ritz. It has a lovely warm charm (like sitting in someones kitchen) and the mismatched furniture, pictures on the walls and large hand-drawn chalkboard really make you feel at home. The service matches the decor... Friendly, helpful and chirpy throughout; I did feel like I'd been invited around for dinner at a friends house. When we were all ready to order, our choices were very prudently noted down next to our names and the whole process was done quickly and efficiently. Their are other options on offer, but with the Tapas being 3 dishes for £10, it's a great way to try lots of things off the menu without breaking the bank. I went for quail, gambas and meatballs and waited excitedly for the food to be bought out! The menu offers lots of meat and vegetarian choice. As we had a vegetarian dining with us, this was greatly appreciated. Whilst we were waiting we were treated to some warm bread from the kitchen... This was a lovely touch and went down a storm. Everyone's food came out fairly swiftly (no mean feat when catering for such a large group). All of my choices ended up being divine. The Quail was a WHOLE QUAIL and all of the dishes were served in delicious sauces with just the right amount of spice. I couldn't fit a dessert in at the end... I was just too stuffed. So, as a summary... The booking; easy as pie. The service; warm and friendly. The venue; welcoming and homely and the food.... Simply divine. My bill came to £10 (as described) and I would expect a meal like that would cost you at least double (if not triple) elsewhere. The restaurant is planning to open on more evenings and get a license to serve drinks. My advice is to book and try it now - before it becomes impossible to get a table.

    Photos
    Rico Libre
    Rico Libre - Quails egg and chicken

    Quails egg and chicken

    Rico Libre - Inside

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    Inside

    La Plancha - Bellini

    La Plancha

    3.3(15 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    £££

    Iv visited this restaurant before and was impressed. However upon this visit the standard of food…read moresadly wasn't as good as I remembered. . That not to say it was bad, just not great. The olives in home made marinade was my favorite dish but when olives are your favorite dish at a tapas restaurant that says alot.

    Me encanta Tapas, me gusta La Plancha…read more With the feeble attempt at Spanish over I would like to say that Tapas has a special place in my heart. When I was 16 I went on holiday to Majorca, and fed up with the British scene I decided to go to Palma and taste some Spanish culture. I was hungry when I arrived in the capital of the Island and went to a café and asked for a hamburger in Spanish. "Un Hambugeusa, por favor?" The reply was, "No, Tapas, Tapas, Tapas. I though, what the hell is Tapas, but gave it a try. Since then I've been in love and have eaten tapas whenever I can La Plancha beats the chain La Tasca hands down for authenticity, atmosphere, style and flavour. However how does it compare to its independent counterparts? The answer-fairly well in my opinion. I went on a Sunday and was greeted with cocktails for a mere 4.50, not bad considering that they didn't hold back with the spirits. Then I drowned myself in Sangria, which came in a large pottery jus and contained chopped fruit. (One of my five a day now sorted!) I didn't like the idea that there are 3 menus available, a bar menu, a restaurant menu and a gourmet menu. I just found it confusing, but I didn't complain since it was only a small objection. I've just found in the past that it is never a good thing when an establishment has separate menus. The best places have a small menu that is done to perfection. Then again tapas is all about variety and I loved sampling all of the different hot and cold dishes they had on offer. My favourites that I would like to recommend are the Patatas Bravas at 4.50 and Montado de pollo picante chicken pan fried in chilli, wine & tomato at 5 pounds and eighty pence. I will be coming back soon for my next tapas fix, I haven't tried everything on the extensive menu, and every time I come here I have a good night. This restaurant would be great for large groups or a party.

    Photos
    La Plancha - Whiskey sour

    Whiskey sour

    La Plancha
    La Plancha - Manchego

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    Manchego

    Tapas Revolution - Does this look "char grilled?" It was soggy. I was so disappointed by the food they put out and try and call it Spanish.

    Tapas Revolution

    3.4(20 reviews)
    3.0 miCity Core
    ££

    I decided to eat here because British food is disgusting. I thought Spanish food would be safe? You…read moreknow, flavors, good combinations using spices. Oh...I was wrong. The broccoli tapa was not braised. It was soggy and disgusting. The chicken was oily and lacked flavor....POLLO LOCO in the USA has better chicken than this crap. The albondigas tasted like my mom's Mexican albondigas? I'm not trying to be rude....but they tasted like Mexican style? The potato's were whatever. I've had better Spanish food across the continent? How does that happen? No idea. News to me. I should have researched this place before coming. You've been warned.

    Tapas Revolution (TR) is a chain of Spanish restaurants in the UK owned by Spanish celebrity chef,…read moreOmar Allibhoy. Having had a good experience at TR at Meadowhall in Sheffield, I was eager to try out their branch located in Birmingham's Grand Central (close to Nando's), especially after receiving a 50% off food coupon which they send when you sign up to their loyalty scheme, which is probably the strangest loyalty scheme ever as after signing up once you only receive further discounts if you're a student with an ac email address, and even then you can only claim on Monday's! I ordered three tapas - Paella with Chicken - Tortilla (Spanish Omelette) with aioli - Chorizo with potatoes and a fried egg. Sadly my favourite two tapa dishes normally, the Albiognas and Potatoes Bravas both weren't gluten-free, the latter was down to a shared fryer. I mean come on Omar, why can't you have a dedicated gluten-free fryer at your restaurants when you could be making what is a limited selection for coeliacs, much better. At full price, I wouldn't say it represents value for money but they do seem to do lunch offers which make it a little more reasonable but the gluten-free selection as a whole just seems limited. Most of my food was good, the main flaw was the potato, chorizo and egg dish was a little overcooked and there wasn't much chorizo at all meaning it wasn't as enjoyable as I'd have liked; my friend also ordered this and she got some shell in her food which is careless. I did really enjoy my tortilla which is probably the best Spanish tortilla I've had, which is a Spanish omelette with potato and onion, I liked how they also put some aioli on the side to give it a bit of a kick and to avoid dryness. My paella also was pretty good, they did seem to use the darker parts of the chicken however rather than just breast meat which I didn't like. The service and staff were pretty poor and made some awful mistakes which I hope were mistakes for my own sanity: - They tried to give me bottled water instead of tap water, meaning this would have cost me more if I didn't confirm it multiple times - They tried to sit my friend down again at a table as she was waiting outside for me as I was just finishing up, even though the same waitress has just served us to take payment 60 seconds prior to the aforementioned. - I began to check an email on my phone and another server tried to take my food away right in front of me, without acknowledging me or even asking me if I was finished. 3* - The food was pretty good, but each dish did appear to have a flaw, it is a little pricey but if you can get a good deal it is one of the better places to eat in Grand Central. They really do need to work on their workers making basic, cringeworthy mistakes though!

    Photos
    Tapas Revolution - Pan de la casa- bouncy, crusty bread topped with gooey tomato and delicious serrano ham

    Pan de la casa- bouncy, crusty bread topped with gooey tomato and delicious serrano ham

    Tapas Revolution - Doesn't look much but the gratin red peppers are oozy and delicious

    Doesn't look much but the gratin red peppers are oozy and delicious

    Tapas Revolution - Prawns in chilli and garlic oil. Would prefer skin on prawns but the oil had a real kick

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    Prawns in chilli and garlic oil. Would prefer skin on prawns but the oil had a real kick

    Bar Estilo - Chick pea, feta and spanish.

    Bar Estilo

    4.3(32 reviews)
    2.9 miHistorical Quarter - Convention Quarter, Westside
    ££

    Great tapas and awesome service. Will go back on my next trip to Birmingham. The chorizo tapas was…read moreexcellent.

    Definite lunchtime win yesterday when I popped into Bar Estilo for a meeting . I am a big fan of…read moretapas but for some reason have never ventured inside this place in the Mailbox. When I went in I was quickly greeted by the barman who offered me a drink, as it was lunchtime I went for a diet coke although they do offer a full bar menu with all the usual drinks you would expect plus sangria..... After living in spain for a while I am a HUGE fan of the stuff but the afternoon is just not the time or it can be a bit of a slippery slope haha. I went for the Salmon dish (Salmon a la plancha) served with almost a lentil stew and the oven baked figs....this was all on recommendation of the lovely manager Jaz. Now figs.....I wouldnt usually go for fig....not even in a fig roll situation they just dont do it for me, so naturally I thought yes to giving them a go in a more savory dish.....I have to say it was great! They served with goats cheese and honey and were actually delicious...maybe I am a convert! The salmon dish was also fresh and lovely....well presented and all the food came out quickly. Perfect at lunch time. Good vibe to the place overall and definately somewhere I will be trying more of the food in due course!

    Photos
    Bar Estilo - Honey roasted figs

    Honey roasted figs

    Bar Estilo - Selection of tapas

    Selection of tapas

    Bar Estilo - View

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    Byzantium - spanish - Updated July 2026

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