please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
In addition to the below, Wadworth 6X, Marstons Pedigree & Wychwood Hobgoblin were also on.
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This was my second consecutive Ember Inns pub, following the Selly Park Tavern. In my opinion, this was the better of the two. The man who served me appeared to be the manager and he was friendly and knowledgeable. Service was quick, despite the pub being fairly busy. The pub has a disabled parking area at the front, with a larger car park at the rear. There is also a patio at the rear, seemingly popular with smokers. Ales were Adnams Broadside, St Austell Tribute, Thwaites Wainwright, Conwy California & Brakspear Bitter. They also had Thatchers Cheddar Valley cider. The only drawback was the strong smell of cleaning fluid in the bar area. Nicer than the usual Ember Inns pub.
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This would be perfect , but there is one barmaid who is so miserable arrogant and such a misery , please have a word or put her in the kitchen !!!!!
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Quite a pleasant pub with a varied mix of people in there especially during the week. Pub quiz on Wednesday (they had to move the other one to Sunday from Monday) is popular. Three cask ales. It is an Ember Inn which means it is essentially similar to the Selly Park Tavern at the other extremity of Selly Park (i.e. on the other side of the Pershore Road), but this is not a bad thing considering the alternatives q.v. shuddersome pubs such as the Dogpoo(l).
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One of the few pubs worth going to in the Selly Oak/Selly Park/Bournville/Cotteridge/Stirchley area (the British Oak being the other). As stated below, it's from the Ember Inns chain and therefore has the usual comfortable seating and loung environment you'd expect from any of their pubs. It does perfectly reasonable if unexciting food and always has a good selection of beers. Last week was Reverend james from the Wye Valley brewery, which was very nice.
Just one correction from some of the comments below, the car park is behind the pub (parking spaces out front reserved for disabled drivers) and is not that large (probably 50 cars maximum).
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Easily the best pub in Selly Oak. If you want a studenty pub with overly-loud music and cheap lager, go to the Gunnies. If you want a nice pub that serves good food and a nice selection of real ale, go to the Country Girl.
I lived on Umberslade Road when I was in my third year at the University of Birmingham from 2009-2010 and the Country Girl was less than 10 minutes away so my friends and I would go there at least twice a week - and almost always go to the legendary quiz nights! Every Monday and Wednesday, just �1 to enter (for the whole team!), it's the best pub quiz I've done in the whole of Birmingham... just don't get the quiz master started on Jacqui Smith!
Like I said, it's less studenty than other pubs in Selly Oak, but it's not a "locals" pub, either. There are still good numbers of students in attendance, but if you want a pub with friendly staff, fairly priced food and drink and a good atmosphere, you won't go far wrong if you go to the Country Girl. There's even a massive car park and a fish and chip shop next door. Perfick!
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I went in here last night. An Ember Inns chain - I'm not a fan of chain pubs, but The Country girl is a decent pub - probably a better choice than the Dogpool Inn which we were considering. I had never been in this pub before , but I have been in an Ember Inns pub before (The Bell in Walsall on B'ham Road A34) so I knew what to expect decor -wise. Food-wise, I have found Ember Inns (The Bell) to be quite good, but I didn't sample the food here.
Beer wise there was a decent if not varied range of cask on tap - I went for the Abbots ale and it was a nice pint. Guiness was also good according to my friend.
A good clientele mix - locals, Birmingham University students and others.....there was also a wide range across the ages. It was a lively and friendly atmosphere., exactly what a saturday night should be.
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This is an Ember Inns pub and we visited here early on a Tuesday afternoon when it was quite busy with the lunchtime crowd.
Had a pint of UBU although there were a couple of Adnams on tap.
The decor feels smart, food was good but the staff here are utterly miserable. I saw four staff members on duty including the chef but one insisted on just observing from behind the bar, despite a young girl trying to get through a queue of 7.
This is my second time here - the last time was in 2008 when we visited for a bite to eat and a beer on a Saturday afternoon. The football was on, we were ignored for some time and the staff were just as miserable then.
There is a small car park at the front with a larger one to the rear.
You must pay to use the car park, due to the close proximity to the station I imagine, but the charge is deducted from your first bar bill.
anonymous - 26 Jul 2009 09:33 |
A good pub with a clientele of locals, hospital workers and the less rowdy among Birmingham Uni's students making a generally friendly atmosphere. Food's not bad, but drinks service can be rather slow when busy as there often seems to be one or two less staff on than needed.
Its quizzes are different but all the better for that, with less bias to TV/Entertainment and anorakky sport! It's odd not to have a limit on team size, but the rules are straightforward, contrary to what another reviewer has said. The scope for cheating is actually less than many I've been to, but the tiebreaker/time limit for each round, does make it more advantageous than ideal to get a table as close as poss to the quiz master.
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Its already June 08 nearly July, keep up!
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Closed for refurb May 2008, reopening June 2008, lets see whats changed, and whats on offer.
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Called in as it was a Good Beer Guide entry that I had not visited before. Chain pub that had a welcoming feel to it and I had no problem with the staff or the beer.
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Love this place and love the quizzes,nice to be home from smoggy London with its dodgy beer.
Sadly back there before xmas,might ask out a certin landlady from Old Street and bring her here to see a real pub.
super - 30 Nov 2007 14:47 |
Nice pub and great in the summer - apart from the fact it can get uncomfortably hot in there when crowded. Sort the aircon out. Beer and food is ok and the staff are nice.
I totally agree with Slugboy about the Quiz though. I am quite a quiz fan and the Country Girl quiz doesn't quite cut the mustard for me. I prefer standard quizzes myself where everyone answers all the questions and whoever get s the most right wins. People marking their mates questions on the next table - c'mon there's cheating afoot. Perhaps you should hire someone to mark the answer sheets for you?
anonymous - 26 Apr 2007 19:57 |
Hi there
I wonder if anyone knows the history behind the building? My father was actually born at 1b Raddlebarn Road.
giley - 18 Apr 2007 15:58 |
Can't agree with slugboy about the quiz nights which take place on Monday & Wednesdays. Probably because I run them. The rules are simple win a quiz round you're in the final, win the final you've won the quiz. Simple, everybody indeerstands the rules and the quiz regularly has 30 to 40 teams per night making it probably the best attended quiz in the Midlands. As for the potential for cheating that applies to any pub quiz, I can only say that if we find somebody cheating we take them outside & strangle them, they don't do it again.
anonymous - 14 Feb 2007 15:24 |
in the main friendly staff and a pleasent atmosphere, given its location near the hospital/student housing/ large estates it can get crowded, but efficient bar staff means there isnt normally too long a wait for service. drinks choice is good, especially for ales, of which there are regular and varied guests.
the food is standard chain pub fair, but is prepared well and comes in a reasonable time. both outside and inside seating is available.
I would avoid the pub quizzes held here. bizarre rules governing the marking and scoring of rounds make it nigh on impossible to understand how anyone is doing and how they did, also the potential for cheating is great.
aside from this, the beer is kept well and many an evening can be pleasently spent here.
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The selction of wine and soft drinks are quite good. The staff are polite and helpfull which you need in a pub that busy. The food is of fairly average standard compared to most pubs.
anonymous - 16 Sep 2006 23:34 |
its always too busy .... never any seating areas free .... always a mess ...staff not very friendly ....i recommend the selly park tavern not far away and its also an ember inn 2
anonymous - 29 May 2006 14:50 |
Nice atmos and good service. Although they appear to have a good selection of beers, there has been many a time when they have run out of ones that i wished to have and had to make do with a kronenbourg..
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Handy for the hospital but very smokey. The Brew XI was very cheap (but strangely not on the price list which advertised real ales 50p more).
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Busy, with mixture of students, locals and hospital workers but comfortable and generally relaxed. Nice patio at the back for summer (with view over canal and, er, mainline railway!) but ignore the scenery and you can have a very nice pint here.
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Pleasently surprised; beer was resonable, as was the food and service. Nice outside area and good decor and atmosphere inside.
Very good for a chain pub.
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Not bad at all for a chain pub. This is one of the Ember Inn chain, which tend not to be too unpleasant. Reasonable beer, good selection of bottled beer, reasonable food, reasonable service.
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A good pub, with a respectable range of ales. Its got a great vibe, and is a good place for a chill out pint
super - 13 Jun 2005 17:11 |
Good quiz night on monday and wednesday evenings, normally quick bar service and good food
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