please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Closed for refurbishment. Reopening in December apparently.
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Probably the worst pint of bitter (Davenports) I've had in 50 years of boozing! Warm, cloudy, dreadful taste...felt ill for long time afterwards. Tasted as if the pipes hadn't been cleaned for months. Anything positive? Cheap.
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The City Tavern is an archetypal Birmingham city centre pub, with a fairly impressive interior. Sadly, it was fairly quiet on our Saturday afternoon visit. The only real ale was Marstons EPA. Although Pedigree was coming soon. I decided not to wait! The Polish (or at least I believe he was) barman seemed fairly jolly and the owners also seemed friendly enough. Horse racing was being shown on the TV. I liked the pub, but the beer range could have been better. Nevertheless, I would imagine that this could be a reasonable retreat from the Broad Street madness on a Friday or Saturday night.
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(This should read!)...
Bad news, Mark, the manager who was responsible for all the encouraging changes has now left!
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Bad news, Mark, the manager who was responsible has now left!
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A follow up to my last review 28/6/07. I had genuinely despaired at the treatment of this pub, but my regular visits over the last few months convince my this lovely looking establishment is finally in safe hands. The new landlord has experience in keeping real ale pubs, and he displays a positive attitude in ensuring the City Tavern remains a genuine alternative to the Hades that is Broad Street. Always a wide selection of ales, and those nostalgic for Davenports ales in pubs will smile at the pump clips that greet them at the bar. Very promising, perhaps the most improved pub in the City Centre.
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I'll add my thanks that someone is taking good care of this gem of a pub. Given that it's just off Broad Street and round the corner from "Gatecrasher" you wouldn't be surprised if it tried to attract the young/trendy crowd. However, all traditional aspects are retained including a good range of ales. The Davenport IPA was very enjoyable.
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A real gem - a real victorian building with 6 real ales & friendly staff & customers. Strongly recommended
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Mark, the gaffer has had a hard job on his hands turning it from what it was into a nice comfortable pub. On my last few visits the beer has been excellent, so good that I have stayed too long on each occasion. Also I have heard no swearing or witnessed any untoward behaviour on more recent visits. I think he has finally sorted his clientelle out any anyone should re-visit if they have previously had a bad experience.
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We called into the City Tavern early one Saturday evening, and were both impressed and unimpressed.
Externally, this red brick pub looks fantastic, a pleasant reminder of the past in an almost totally redeveloped area. On going inside, a tasteful renovation has taken place. Plenty of hand pumps, mostly from the Davenports brewery greet the customer, as well as Davenports related photos everywhere. Perhaps less charming, was a postcard sized sign immediately behind the bar, asking customers to moderate foul language to avoid causing offence to others. I've never seen a sign like this before, and didn't expect it in such a beautiful old boozer.
Well, we went straight for the Highgate Dark Mild, which at �2.50 a pint for a 3.4% ABV drink was no give-away. We thought it was only average quality, perhaps a bit over chilled too for a mild. The pub was about half full, most sitting in the front rooms leaving a nicer back room for a small group of 20 something lads. Heading for this nicer back-room, we were impressed with the d�cor, although the open door outside meant smoke (I presume an outdoor smoking garden?) was wafting back in and spoiling the ambiance somewhat.
But a bigger blow to the ambiance was the group of young lads, whose loud swearing and singing couldn't be ignored. One even apologised to us momentarily, these were the kind of lads who'd have probably responded to a polite word from the bar staff, but none was forthcoming. We tried to ignore it, but a beautiful pub is soon ruined by loud idiots. The front bar opens onto this rear room, for easier service, so there was no excuse for bar staff to pretend they couldn't hear anything.
We wanted to try more of the beer range, but instead left after our average pint of mild, just angry that a few youngsters were being allowed to dominate a beautiful pub. The bar sign about foul language suddenly made sense. This pub is just a few steps off Birmingham's increasingly tasteless Broad Street 'party zone', and perhaps overspill of youngsters is having an effect. But running a pub is about controlling such nuisances, not just pulling pints and being friendly, and expensive refurbishments will not attract discerning customers if a few young 'gob-shites' are allowed to take over.
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If you're lucky enough to take a wrong turn off Broad Street, chances are you'll end up here. So instead of soulless chains and revival-clubs, you get this mid-19th Century building, restored pretty authentically by the new Davenports crew. Expect no fripperies - The only TV on offer is the CCTV! - just the finest Davenports, Highgate (and when I was there Teignworthy!) Breweries have to offer.
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Classic red brick pub on the edge of the city centre. It's had a chequered recent past but seems to be firmly on the up again. Inside it retains a traditional feel with the front bar room and rear lounge reached by a side corridor. Lots of green seating and a classic staircase add to the charm. Very friendly staff and a great range of local real ales- all the Davenport beers plus Wye valley and Purity beers. Good to see the pub in its righteous place again as one of Brum's best. Only problem is the proximity of the vomit trail that is Broad Street, but a visit can be combined with a trip to the nearby. Canalside Cafe and Pennyblacks, both of which are also well worth a visit. Great pub.
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Popped in last Friday night. I had been in previously and had never been impressed! However upon walking into the place the atmosphere was completely different and the ales were on fine form. Will definately be popping in the future, to see how the guest range changes.
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Re-opened on Wednesday 17th June after a couple of days closure for a makeover. Gone is the underpriced Carling and the very underpriced FGL lager along with Stella, smoothpour and Strongbow. Seven ales were available on the opening night, 5 from the Davenports/Highgate stable and 2 genuine guest beers. The Wye Valley Summer Stinger was particularly enjoyable. Lagers are now Davenports Continental, West St Mungo and Helles Light ( from Glasgow - the first outlet in England) and Olvi from Finland. The telly has been removed as has the jukebox and background music system. Hopefully this alehouse concept will attract customers of a better calibre as the chear as chips lager formula attracted a few low lifers who spoiled what this lovely old pub has to offer.
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Another fantastic Victorian exterior. Several small interior rooms.
Visited on Saturday, when it was hot and the bar was filled with locals in various stages of intoxication, watching two local teams, as you would have thought from the squealing, Everton and Chelsea, fighting for the FA Cup. Maybe they thought Birmingham City were playing, as one team was in blue.
It was much better to go into the quiet lounge, where we were all alone, as the TV was in the bar. The lounge was nicely done out, great fireplace and Chesterfield styled leather seating.
Beer on offer wasnt too bad. Davenports Bitter and Spring Fever, as well as Highgate MILD - which is what i had. I thought it was fine, JB was less sure.
I would come back; it was just a bad time for miserable people like us to go. One has to worry though, as it is close to the fake-tan mile, if the chavs would be out in force after dark, congregating to cross Broad St, like wildebeest at the Mara River.
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Tile-and-terracotta pub that I used a lot four years ago. Since then a new landlord has taken over and has had the sense to change nothing about the interior, which is still beautifully-tiled and has, for this part of the city, remarkably clean toilets. The beer is from Highgate and there were three handpulls on my last visit, all in good nick and at �2 a pint (the Highgate lager is even cheaper). Barmaid chatty to all her punters, who were a genuine cross-section of modern-day Birmingham in age, colour and sex. Brummies need to be aware that this kind of pub is under threat, especially given that the Tavern is 100m from Broad Street - use it or lose it!
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I am shocked and appalled by the reviews on this beautiful pub, steeped in history. The karaoke nights at the venue used to be nothing short of brilliant and I am very happy to hear that they are considering putting these nights back on. I have been to the venue many times and can only bulk at the intellectual snobbery in previous reviews and can only suggest that you get a better life on Broad Street.
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Visited on Saturday afternoon. Lovely building. Just a few punters. Had a reasonable pint of something golden. Landlord was complaining that things were quiet and how he was going to introduce karaoke to liven things up! It's amazing how many people who run pubs don't seem to have a clue how to make them a success. Surely this pub should draw trade from city visitors wanting a good pint in a fine pub away from the dross on Broad Street?
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until a year or so ago this pub was great, albeit very smoky. However the last few visits have greatly reduced my appreciation of this pub. The beer doesn't appear to be kept as well as it was and the staff are now useless. It's a shame as for that part of town it was a great pub.
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I believe this place has now shut?
Visited on a couple of stints over the last few months - almost no BEER on (and it was warm!), no atmosphere (TV on in the corner, barmaid chatting with her mates). Smelt badly of disinfectant.
So much potential though!
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Judging by the last couple of reviews, I must have gone in on a good night last month - glasses clean, bar staff attentive in clearing glasses up after people left, and a few very nice pints. Can't really fault it, particularly given it's proximity to Broad Street and the abysmal efforts there.
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used to a nice little pub but visited it after watching Shrek 3(cineworld across road) but like the other reviewer said the barstaff were more interested in smoking and talking to each other than serve anybody the got a lager in a dirty glass plus no tissus and soap in the gents.
anonymous - 10 Jul 2007 10:50 |
C'mon is this pub really that good. My recent visit seemed quite typical of what I've been experiencing over the past couple of years. Two very young barstaff had to tear themselves away from Hollyoaks blaring away in the corner in order to serve anyone. Just as Channel 4 news kicked off the set was quickly switched to "Emmerdale". Twice a week there's usually a karaoke loud and intrusive enought to disturb customers in the Brasshouse. A clique of guys whose devine right is to sit in a burly huddle around the serving hatch in the lounge make you feel absurdly grateful to get served, and for my trouble I've been rewarded with more than a couple of dodgy pints. The lived in look soon reveals some much needed tlc. To be fair against most of the Broad St. fair this pub is infinitely preferable, but stood against the excellent and refreshingly straight forward Vine not ten minutes away on Ruston Street and the Tavern is shown to be shabby, apathetic and rather overated.
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Very nice pub,Good for the cinema across the road
anonymous - 25 Jun 2007 21:25 |
What can i say about this pub ,but if you looking for a real pub then you found one.
It has a selection of highgate ales usally 4 to 7 is happy hour everyday,it is a cheap way to start the night.
There are all sorts of characters in here,locals students and buisnees people.
Well worth a visit
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Refurbished in traditional style after a series of disasters.
The Highgate beer is good and very good value. Handy
for the cinema. Clientelle are a mixture of suits, builders and students. Studenty music nites take place upstairs.
Proof that there are some good pubs in the Broad Street circuit-drinking area if you look.
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Really enjoyed this pub. Went in originally just to find out what was behind the windows which cant be seen through. Very impressed, really friendly staff, Quick Service and a good selection of ale, beers and two ciders. Good promotions. I will be back.
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A respite from the Broad Street s-holes which insist on charging three quid for a 33cl bottle of lager. Highgate brewery bitters and lager (surprisingly good), comfortable seats and friendly locals. Still, it'll probably be a South American theme bar within weeks if the rest of Birmingham's pubs are anything to go by.
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