please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Absolute gem of a pub. The landlady was very welcoming and friendly as were the other 2 staff that were on. Beer was very well kept.
Interior the pub has plenty of curious and is a 'proper' pub. They do a range of food which all sounded hearty and very nice.
I fully intend to visit this place more often
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Rose runs a good local pub here. I like the decor. Comfortable.
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Agree with other comments, quaint homely pub, close to City Centre, couple of ales, food looked good and friendly staff...worth a visit.
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A nice find in a pocket of what remains of old Birmingham, (the historic gunsmiths' quarter I was told).
It's a relatively short walk through underpasses etc. beneath 1960s/70s highways developments, from the equally brutal contemporary hotels in the area (if you should find yourself immured therein).
Hearty bar food ands real ales are on offer in cosy family-feeling surroundings, around large tables, and with plenty of quaint ceramics at which to gaze,
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I remember going in some years ago to encounter a party sitting round a table who suddenly started ringing hand bells.
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Confess to being a regular drinker of the Pedigree and an occasional guest in one of the rooms. Excellent b&b with none of the annoying distractions of most modern pubs though it has moved on to the WiFi era (which is free).
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First rate old fashioned boozer with great qualityand quantity pub meals.
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1st stop on JQ crawl yesterday, lovely little pub of the type you're pleasantly surprised to find this close to the city centre. There were two ales on, Pedigree and Cotleigh Harrier, we went for the latter which was spot on. Agree completely with other recent reviews, and would add they do a great steak n onion butty (with chips)!
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An oasis in a sea of office blocks & highways. Very welcoming boozer with a small room which was thought to be the living room of the owners & actually turned out to be part of the pub - cat wasn't happy it's space had been invaded. Three ales on; Broadside, Pedigree & Bass - we tried the latter as it's been years since many of us have tried it - not as 'Burtonised' as it used to be.
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After living in Brum for over forty years I finally managed to make it to The Bull following good reports from friends, and I wasn't disappointed. Lovely traditional boozer, cosy and welcoming even though it was a quiet midweek lunchtime. Only two ales on, Broadside and Pedigree, but the pub was impressive enough to make a return visit on an evening crawl a distinct possibility!
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Friendly pub tucked well out of the way from the city centre in a rather inauspicious area. The interior is characterful and cosy. There is no TV, but plenty of other things to admire on the walls, including a large jug collecion above the bar and a thimble collection on one side. The etched windows are quite attractive. To one side of the bar is a raised area with sofas and comfy seating, that really is reminiscent of somebody's living room. At the other side is an area set aside for dining. A small window separates these two areas, through which the landlady's head appeared during our short visit. The pub was very quiet on our Saturday afternoon visit, with only 2 other customers present. 3 real ales are on. Yesterday they were Naylors Pinnacle, Marstons Pedigree & Adnams Broadside. Well worth searching out if you're after a traditional unspoiled pub near Birmingham city centre.
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Nice friendly pub well worth the walk from Snow Hill Station.
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Great pub tucked away with a lot of character
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Delightful establishment. Only small so does get very packed when the office staff nearby turn out ofter a shift, but other times its relatively quiet with a lovely home feel. Ale is nice and the food too is tasty. Sort of place that time has forgot, and that`s a very good thing. 9/10
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3 Ales including Dartmoor & Adnams brews, friendly service, 7/10
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Thank you for BITE for making me aware of this pub whilst I spent a week in Brum working and staying in an area apparently devoid of other establishments. A little oasis in a seemingly rundown area just off a very main road. A warm welcome from Rose to a pub split in 2, with a slightly raised level which was geared towards dining. Don't take this as a negative comment, but reminded me of a Grandmother's living room, with the walls adorned with ceramics and commerative china. The landlady would bring out meals to the regulars, who seemed as grateful for it as you would when going round to your Gran's for Sunday roast. Small garden out the back seemed very popular. Slightly overloud discussions & opining at bar from the regulars on topics of the day reminds you of how pubs used to be before big screens and flashing lights. Well worth a visit if alone in Birmingham on business
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Nice back street local.Quiet and comfortable with just the ticking and chiming of the clock to listen to. 3 ales on tap, Marstons,Adnams and St Austell. Only down side is the quality of the food does not match the high price. Would go again but not to eat.
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The Bull is a fine smallish traditional local situated on a quiet street corner in the Gun Quarter of Birmingham and close to Aston University. Despite being within a stone's throw of the busy Lancaster Circus roundabout and flyover, the pub has a quietish country pub feel to it, enhanced by a splendid collection of jugs and plates adorning the walls and beams.
Outside the pub, a slightly faded information board tells us that, in the old days, "gun gaffers" paid their employees their wages in The Bulls Head, as the pub was evidently then called. Also, outside the pub, on the black painted exterior, we see that it apparently dates back to "circa 1800" , making it one of Birmingham's oldest pubs. The pub retains Ansells etched windows and it is clear that, in earlier days, it was a multi-bar pub. Now there are two adjoining rooms, both carpeted and comfortable, each served from a central bar. In the far room, there's some interesting photos of the former gun making activities in the area's factories.
There's no music or other distractions and, once the lunchtime office trade had disappeared, the only sound was from the ticking grandfather clock.
The pub offers a good selection of home cooked food, including daily specials.
On the beer side, three beers were on when I visited - Adnams Broadside, Pedigree and Bargees Bitter from Elland Brewery. The latter, at a rather pricey � 2.80p for an ABV of only 3.7%, tasted somewhat uninspiring. The pub is a CAMRA GBG regular.
I think this pub is well worth seeking out, but note that it is not open on Sunday.
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great pub which for the past few months has become my friday night local,always friendly & laid back,& the beer quality is always good,really does feel like another world inside no idea you're right by the expressway,roll on tomorrow evening,3 Broadside please Rose!!
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Christmas time was very busy time at the Bull.
This is in my mind one of the best pub in Birmingham. Beer good so is the food.
You are sure of a welcome at the door.
Nick Phillips
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In a quiet street close to the Inner Ring Road. Smallish old fashioned street corner local close to the City Centre. Wasn't over impressed with the 3 spires bitter though (a bit cloudy). The food looked appealing though. Would give it another chance if in the vicinity.
anonymous - 13 Dec 2009 14:45 |
Not been in here since I lived locally back in '89.Like most pubs in that area and time it struggled a bit,but now seems to be a thriving pub.
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Really nice community pub with lots of character and a good welcome. Food looked great; Pedigree was only OK. Will go for Broadside next time !
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Popped in here after a day shopping in the City Centre. Was as lovely as it was six months ago! The Bitter was brilliant. We ate a meal here. I had the Steak and Kidney Pie and the missus had Chicken and Chips. Huge portions and delicious food. I am increasing my rating!
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Well it that time once more when the Christmas party starts.
No matter how many arrive you will be sure of a welcome.
I am lucky, I visit all the year round
Nick Phillips
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This is a beautiful pub which serves some excellent beer. It has a good, 'pubby' feel to it and the landlady clearly has a good relationship with the clientele.
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Lovely backstreet Brimingham pub with great beer & food and a good atmosphere.
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The Bull always worth a visit, it nice to see staff who care that the beer served to a high standard.
They also serve food that your mother would approve of.
The Bull is able to offer a choice of three rooms where you are able to enjoy your beer and talk to the person the other side of the table with no back room noise.
For the smoker The Bull set out a garden space where you can sit in comfort.
Nick Phillips
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This is a brilliant pub that seems like an authentic coutnry pub in what is actually an equally authentic, industrial part of town. No posers or plastic furnishings/food here, just a friendly welcome, wonderful ambience (the pictures and tankards etc. add to this without being too twee, great beer and good, cheap food. An absolute must for pub lovers travelling to Brum.
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Always nice Adnams Broadside but agree should not be served through a sparkler (check with the brewery!) usually northern beers are, southern beers are not, all the taste ends up in the froth !
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Nice cosy pub with well-served beers - I should get there more often.
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Went to this pub recently. A homely sort of pub, quite pleasent. Very livley at lunch time catering for the Christmas lunches. The beer was in good condition but I have just one question..... Why have a sparkler on the pump despencing the beer? "To give a nice creamy head" I hear you say. I had the Adnams Broadside and while the beer tasted good it was spoilt by this thin narrow plastic stopper which the beer was forced through killing the natural taste. This is a falacy with many publicans when despencing certain real ales. Not to mention the extra effort required to push the beer through that little hole. Watching the bar staff you could have served two pints in the time it took to serve one.
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I just love this pub. It's a proper pub in a heavily industrial part of the city. The landlady Rose is very welcoming and friendly, the beers are well kept and served. My husband always goes for the guest beers and I like a pint of Pedigree in between bottles of red wine.
The food is home cooked and plentiful with simple Irish fare being very popular.
The interior of the Bull is full of old jugs, mugs etc hanging from every beam, eclectic victorian furniture and mismatching plates add to it's appeal. The exterior has recently been painted black which makes it very smart looking and a big improvement.
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ADNAMS BROADSIDE. Sorry the beer has gone to my head.
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visited the bull for the first time today with my dad.the welcome was great and the pint of hidden pint from hidden brewery was top notch.and the food was even better the rabbit stew was lovely and the mixed grill my dad had was great value for money.this was my first visit but it won't be my last!
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Good pub with excellent beer & food. Defo worth a few cheeky ones.
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I remember this pub in the late 70s when a lot of the Salvation Army guys (residents) used it. You stayed in your seat and the landlady, in carpet slippers, would fill your glass up from a vase of foaming mild. If I've misremembered this please don't correct me. It's not much like that now, but I agree with most of the comments that for a quiet, decent, comfortable drink it's by far the best pub in the area. The eccentric little parlour is it's distinguishing feature of course.
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My husband and I found this to be an excellent pub! The food, the welcome and the ales were all excellent. The place is a magnet for local characters and we enjoyed our stay in one of the guestrooms. The licensee, Rose, was friendly and courteous throughout.
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Having ventured from a loud and decidedly unusual pub, (Gunmakers) We opted to stay out of the City Centre and hit some more back stret hostelries. This pub had very friendly staff and a good pint. I did have an unusual 'old ladies living room' area, which is novel in many pubs now and makes this pub well worth a return visit, if just for comedy value.
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Some obscure comments on this fine pub. Decent Guinness, good selection of varying real ales and great food ALL day. The staff are welcoming and obliging. I wasn't going to write anything because I really don't want this place to become too popular but I had to balance the foregoing which has no relationship to reality
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nice beer in here.
decor not good but I've never tried turd-polishing so I can't speak from experience Curly Turds.(don't your hands smell really bad?)
I can't remember when I moved house?? last year or the year before?? not sure. If it's such an awful pub,(maybe true) how can Curly remember not only '99 was the year of an attempted refurb' but AUTUMN???? I'll have to over-rate this boozer to compensate even though only the beer's any good.
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Mr Bean is obviously a salad.
Awful pub with worse food and horrible decor.
They tried a re-furb' back in the autumn of '99 but at the end of the day, you cant polish a turd.
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Excellent ales and the late food policy is a winner, not too sure about the over the top jug display though. Who's going to travel miles to view some tatty old jugs?, whereas the beer and food are well worth travelling for. Pleasant staff, good attitude. Highly rate overall. (I've seen some different jugs in the back kitchen I would'nt mind taking a closer look at!)
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