Surprisingly great Pho on the second floor of the train station in a fancy food court type area…read more 98% gluten free menu! I got the house special pho with all the things in it: beef, chicken, shrimp, the shrimp were the very big kind! They even had gluten free beer! very polite service, clean, highly recommend this place!

With a couple of hours to kill and a large bag to lug around, I decided to grab a bite to eat from…read moreinside New Street. Having never tried Vietnamese food before, but having heard many good things about it, I gave it a go. Delicious! The staff were incredibly helpful and friendly, service was fast and the food was lovely. Unable to decide what I wanted, I had "Pho Dac Biet - Tiger prawns, chicken & flash fried steak with garlic in beef stock" so I got a bit of everything, the flavours were well balanced and there were sauces an oils available to personalise my food to my personal taste. My only criticism of Pho is that the as the restaurant is small, the tables are all very pushed in together, so I was very close to those around me. It's understandable that it will be a noisy environment being in the middle of New Street, but perhaps a slightly larger gap between each table will allow guests not to feel so enclosed in such a busy environment. Overall, very happy and will definitely eat Pho again!

Pho cures all. Pho realz…read more It's a little bit out of the way for me considering that I usually hit up the city centre for things to nosh on. But when I found out that there was a proper Vietnamese restaurant in Birmingham, I couldn't pass it up. Even though hubs and I took the longer way to get there, I was so glad we did. (Well I was, if you read my profile, one of my favorite foods is pho. Some people can understand and appreciate the healing properties that this simple soup has; some people may just see it as a bunch of noodles with broth and a few pieces of meat. But the broth is seriously, like, elixir for me). First thing I noticed was that it was empty inside, but that was OK for me. There was a couple who had just finished their meals when we came in and paid their tab. The restaurant was very clean and so was the restroom. I opted for summer rolls and pho tai (pho w/brisket) while hubster chose chicken pho. Usually at a Vietnamese restaurant, he has a vermicelli bowl/broken rice with meat, so I don't know what made him go for pho this time. Whether he paid attention at all to what he ordered was another question. And when the bowls arrived at our table, all I could do was stare. (Not having had pho since December when I went back home to SD has been difficult). My inner self had the biggest cheeseburger grin once the scent of the broth hit my nostrils. The broth was a decent balance of anise and saltiness, and it wasn't too cloudy or dark either. Brisket was done nicely also. The spring rolls were nice and light also. This is real comfort food, I thought. More people need to experience it. I wasn't too fond of the wider noodles used in the pho, so I hope this gets corrected soon. But I think I've found my go-to spot when I need a pick-me-up, and I hope other people wanting Vietnamese food will appreciate it too.

I don't know much about Vietnamese food but I know decent service, food and prices when I…read moreexperience them and you get all three here. It's a bit out of the way unless you're visiting the big Tesco store or the Spring Hill library, so you may have to put in a bit of effort to get there, but especially for groups it's probably worth it. Prices are very decent across the board with most mains well under £10. That means you can share several dishes amongst friends without breaking the bank. And that's probably the best way to experience the options here if you're as unfamiliar as I am. I've been twice and have to say I was much more impressed first time around. I made different choices for my order, was a chicken/rice combo of some kind, and just preferred it. This second time I had a chef special, which are sometimes not the best choice I find, of chargrilled chicken with rice. There is a lot on the plate, enough for two, but it was remarkably bland and certainly not 'special'. Don't get me wrong, it was nice enough, but the white rice just didn't do much while the chicken lacked flavour and punch. The iced lemonade was really good, a tad sweet maybe, but I could have gulped down a couple of those on what was a warm day. Desert was a tasty mix of banana, coconut milk and toasted peanuts. Worked out around £12 all in, so no complaints there. The service was good though a bit distracted, with the lady spending more time in the kitchen than out front. But I wasn't in any specific rush. Had I been in a lunchtime spin and needed fast service I may have felt different!

My first venture in Vietnamese food. I've had the occasional spring roll in a Chinese restaurant…read morebut I'm pretty sad to say I've never ventured into this cuisine. Strangely though there is a reasonably large Vietnamese population in Birmingham there really aren't all that many Vietnamese restaurants. I'm normally a dim sum and roast meats and rice kinda girl but I had been stalking some local brummy foodies on Instagram and noticed some talk about song tuoi in Chinatown. I did what a normal social media addict would do and quizzed the guy on menu recommendations. Me and my boyfriend ordered a papaya Salad And a BBQ pork and noodle dish to share. This was more than enough for two people. The restaurant was fairly quiet for a Wednesday evening but the restaurant had a few Vietnamese families dining - always a good sign. The couple next to us had a whole fish and lobster between them, another sign that the seafood here is pretty fresh and cooked well. Don't let the quietness and slightly 90s decor put you off - it adds to the charm, the staff are super friendly and are there to give you advice on how to eat the food. They also sell Pho, so any fans of the Grand Central branch should check out Song Tuoi, prices here are around 8.50 a bowl and you're supporting a local independent! Overall this was a great introduction to Vietnamese food and I'm looking forward to visiting again to try some of the other dishes.

My friend and I had lunch here today. She had been here before, while it was my first time…read more I didn't want a starter as they all looked like big dishes and some had pork which my pal doesn't eat. So we stuck with mains. We both had beef pho which is the soup noodles. It's quite an airy building.. Though it didn't look as big inside. Didn't go upstairs. I talked bout the food with my friend when we left, I didn't think it had much taste, I licked a chilli to give it more taste!!! The broth was quite weak in flavour. They play Vietnamese music so it's nice to have that atmosphere though I wasn't that keen on the painted walls. I wouldn't rush back as other places do better noodles.

I've been meaning to go by Cafe Soya and drop in for a meal ever since moving to Birmingham last…read moreyear. Brittany and I finally managed to make it over there when we visited at night for dinner. Cafe Soya is now a two branch strong Chinese/Vietnamese restaurant. This location is the original, found in the lower section of the Arcadian. Inside, the cafe is decorated with a modern theme of white and green apple colours, with seating available for maybe twenty five people, tops. Despite the name, ample meat dishes abound, but the vegetarian portion of the menu is likely what brings most customers in the door. The menu is huge, clocking in at nearly two hundred different things you can order by my count. Brittany and I ordered water and jasmine tea to drink, and split vegetarian lettuce wraps for a starter. The filling for the wraps was delicious, and the hoisin sauce was an excellent addition. The lettuce itself had just been washed prior to our order, and copious amounts of water beaded on the lettuce and our plates, muddling the presentation and mouthfeel of the wraps. For my entree I ordered the Spicy Singapore Vermicelli, which is a bountiful bowl of spicy curry infused vermicelli noodles with peppers, mushrooms, and tofu. The dish, marked spicy, is exactly the level of hot you would expect from a southeast asian inspired restaurant. The curry unfortunately overpowered a lot of the other flavours that would have been present otherwise, leaving the dish paradoxically bland. This is the part of the meal where things slid into average territory. Their water glasses hold maybe 6-8 ounces of water total. If I'm eating a spicy dish, I'll probably need more than that for the entirety of the meal. To my chagrin, the staff never returned to refill our water, and didn't even to ask if we wanted extra water when we paid our bill. What started out as quite good descended into an ordinary experience by the end of the night. Rounding it out was Brittany's journey around the block trying in earnest to find an ATM after being notified that they do not accept card payments. It's astounding in this day and age that a restaurant with multiple locations is still not using 21st century payment systems. Overall I am intrigued by the large number of vegetarian items on the menu as well as their bubble teas. I plan to return, perhaps trying their second location on Upper Dean Street to contrast the level of service. If you are a vegetarian, you'll have found your nirvana, just be wary of some of the service issues before you make a decision to spend your pounds here.

What a lovely little gem!…read more I am so upset that I only found this place weeks beforeleaving Birmingham for London.the arcadian it's self is an amazing versatile area that is great for a relaxing drink of Chinese origin, a milkshake a cocktail in one of the many bars, shopping and most importantly Eating! Cafe Soya can be summed uo in one word! AUTHENTIC. The food is not English Chinese it is authentic Chinese and the food is healthier and clearer than all other takeaways and fast food joint The food The food is great. Not the greatest choice in the world but because of this they are able to kepp the food fresh and clean and perfect. The drinks For Me this place is perfect as I am lactose intolerant they were able to meet all of my needs and urged me to try the soya and red been shake fusion which was a totally different tastes than I had ever tried before but it was great very sweat though. If you need any more information about this feel free to personal message me

Things that I learned about this place: *Food was slightly…read moreaverage. *They charge extra if you use your home currency (I'm based in the US). A £44 buffet for two became $66 USD. *They have incentives if people rate 5 star reviews in Google. So, I can't leave a review in Google. *Interior decor was colorful. Would I recommend this place? No.

I came here for a leaving do. I was very disappointed. The tofu veggie stir fry didn't taste too…read moregreat. Possibly the courgettes were a bit old. I felt like I was just a 'number', I know that you get less attention when having a buffet meal, but I didn't like the fact that my hand had to be stamped so that the other staff knew that I had paid. The staff were polite. The veggie food overall was alarming as the info provided stated that they all contained crustaceans and fish etc. Not good. I won't be going back.

I think I was in some kind of Cafe Soya fake meat haze when I went here. I'd convinced myself that…read moreif Cafe Soya did fake meat, then every Chinese in the area would also do such similar things. I think I'd even convinced myself their menu said something about fake chicken. So when I went in and asked about their fake chicken, the lady on the counter looked very confused and there was a drawn out conversation where we both repeated ourselves a couple of times, until it became evident that I am an idiot and NO they do real meat not fake. Good job their noodles were pretty tasty nonetheless - and quick too! Sad there's no fake meat, but that's what I go to Cafe Soya for.

One of a few lovely little hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurants just off of Chinatown proper, in…read morethe Arcadian, New Sum Ye is a great place to stop off after shopping or before a show, if you don't want to spend a fortune. My husband, stepson and I all ate out there for £20, and we were stuffed to the gills. I can recommend, without any reserve, the Cantonese Curry, Beef with Black Bean Sauce and Chicken Satay. Good god, how tasty is this food. New Sum Ye specialises in Hong Kong style Cantonese food, but also serves Pan-Asian cuisine, such as Vietnamese and Korean (haven't tried the kimchee yet). The service is typical of most Chinese restaurants - reserved and terse, without being rude. They serve no alcohol, so get your drink on elsewhere, you barbarian. They have a few desserts, but as Chinese culture isn't big on sweets, it's mostly of the fruit variety. The main attraction of New Sum Ye is for groups -- they have incredibly good value set menus for groups starting at 6 and going up to 18. For cheap, cheerful Chinese in a clean and tidy environment, you couldn't do better than New Sum Ye.

This restaurant has a very authentic feel with ample seating as you go upstairs…read more The menu has everything you could desire from duck, lamb, beef, pork, to a chef's special seafood menu, with good options if your vegetarian, like me. They have a decent lunch promotion between 12-5pm, on 3 courses for only £9.90, which isn't bad value. I tried the egg fried rice with fried mixed vegetables, whilst my friend had steamed scallops within a black bean type sauce. I liked the food, and didn't have to wait very long for it. In the afternoon, it wasn't too busy and we managed to get some nice seats by the windows overlooking the canals. They had some nice background music playing, which wasn't too overwhelming in the sense that it drowns out your conversation, but pleasing all the same. A take away option is also available if your having friends round! And they also add on an extra 10% service charge, which we didn't mind paying.... However, if you have a Brindley Place Loyalty card, you do get a 10% discount!!

Stumbled upon this place by accident. I'm from the US and was craving Chinese or Vietnamese food so…read moreI was really happy when I saw Tin Tin. I ordered their sweet and sour chicken with fried rice. I devoured the entire thing! Great service, great food!

I visited Karaoke Box last night with a few of the Yelp Birmingham crew and was not disappointed…read more The many themed rooms make it hard to decide which space you want to use and cater to parties of three right up rooms that could easily take twenty. The rooms themselves are all comfortable with good karaoke equipment including wireless mics, touch screen tvs to select the music and large screens to display the lyrics to your chosen songs......obviously I could not resist a few diva number with Whitney and Cher being firm favourites from myself and Adam S! One really good thing about this place is that the bar prices are pretty standard and what you would expect from a normal bar/pub in the area. Usually places like this have stupidly high bar prices so that was pretty refreshing....and very welcome! If you are looking for a good night out with the boys, girls or whoever I would recommend heading to Karaoke box.....this place would be 100% perfect for birthdays, hen do's or people just looking for something that little bit different on the weekend :)

You aren't doing it right if your night out on Broad Street doesn't end with Chris Cornell-esque…read moreshredded vocal cords, hearing loss, and at least one video of you on Facebook doing something embarrassing. Fortunately I was able to tick off all of these at a recent Yelp Social event at Karaoke Box. The nascent venue is located off Broad Street in the Regency Wharf area. The space opens to a bar that stocks a moderate selection of beer and cider, several wines, and spirits. There is plenty of room in this lobby to hang out with friends while waiting on everyone to arrive. The Karaoke Box is laid out with two hallways, with private rooms on each side. Unlike pub karaoke, the only audience here is those you choose to witness your shame. Each room carries a theme, some that repeat on either hallway. The grand dame of the box is their large London Underground themed room that can fit a sizable crowd. Karaoke here is state-of-the-art, with lyrics displayed on large LED screens set into the wall. A control panel allows for the selection of songs. Their library is very comprehensive, and while lacking in the latest top 100, has pretty much any song from the naughts and before worth singing. Up to two mics work in each room, and vocal controls help disguise my crow like crooning. The venue hosts a limited food menu where you'll find a lot of fried from frozen snacks. Honestly, I would suggest eating before or after, as the foods are a bit overpriced and not too tasty. The bar prices are somewhat reasonable depending on what you order. Basic beers and wines are a value, but steer clear of the liquor. My time spent at the Karaoke Box was some of the most fun I've had in Brum so far this year. The prices to rent each room may cause sticker shock, but they aren't too bad when split evenly amongst friends. Overall, Karaoke Box is definitely worth a second look.