please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Now no longer serving cask ale. No reason to go there at all.
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My first visit to the Mailbox and Pennyblacks. I believe this is the only bar in the complex that serves real ale. It's a modern place with a rowdy atmosphere and handpulls situated at the back of the bar, making choice difficult. From what I could see, beers on were Goffs Launcelot & White Knight, Wickwar Rite Flanker & Cotswold Way and something called Classic Bitter. Service was prompt. Most of the customers were groups of young males, possibly on stag nights. This doesn't make for a particularly relaxing environment. Probably wouldn't return, especially when there are better establishments just along the canal (try the excellent Canalside Café).
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I agree re the positioning of the ale pumps and also the prices of everything in here. It's a shame because it has a good location (make sure you don't walk into the canal while texting, honestly...) and a good choice of beers.
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A nice pub, but the choice of Real Ale is minimal and the beers they do have in costs a fortune. At about 4.80 a pint this is criminal. The staff are clueless and seem bored and put out if they have to serve a customer. The food is ridiculously priced as well, about £13.00 for a burger and fries, er, no thanks.
But as I said, it IS a nice pub, but it's a shame they charge so much for a pint.
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I am so pleased to see this pub lose it's CAMRA Good Beer Guide status. It has not been included the 2010 edition.
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I wasn't expecting a Good Beer Guide entry by the Mailbox alongside the canal inside a wine bar/barn decked out like several lounges, but gave it a go. The ales were well hidden at the back of the bar, and difficult to discern. Without assistance from the clueless barmaid, I peered through the gloom and made out one of the pump clips, What The Fox's Hat, and a very good pint it was too, supped by the canal on a table outside. An interesting find for a quick pint, but I wouldn't be tempted to stay.
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Expensive beer and attented to by bar staff who haven't got a clue (at least they hadn't when I went) The real ale's are situated at the back of the bar so you have a job to see what is available and its respective ABV. Bar person I asked hadn't got a clue what I was on about when I asked about available cask ale's...just mearly pointed at then!! It would help if they had a board up advertising these ale's. (If there was a board I never saw it!) The beer was good though when I eventually got one. I didn't stay for a second as I couldn't be doing with the trauma of asking again.
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This bar probably needs to find a single identity rather than try and please all comers.No complaints about the range and quality of real ales with What's the Fox's Hat from Church End the pick but I would imaging the beard and sandal CAMRA brigade would find the atmosphere offputting.There is a lot of top totty in this place but most of the pub crawlers were shipping lager by the gallon and the acoustics mean that you have to shout to be heard.Cant believe this is a relaxing place to eat and some of the seating is too much like a lounge rather than a bar.Why do gay men have to make a public display of their affection for each other ?However great place for quality ale in the regenerated Gas Street Basin area.
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Nice enough new build pub if you like huge drinking barns, this one is a better class than many of the others though. Copper bar but at table level with all the handpumps etc at the back of the bar. Strange idea that as I hadn't brought my reading specs so I had trouble making out what was on the pumpclips. The answer was Backyard Blonde, Oldershaw Mowbrey's Mash, Cottage Whippet Gold and Wye Valley Butty Bach. Not a bad selection at all. Had a Backyard and an Oldershaw, both were fine if not totally top notch. The back wall is covered with a massive wine rack, so plenty of choice there as well. I'm not too sure about this place really, it's not my sort of place, but the other would love it.
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I was unsure about visiting Pennyblacks as soon as I heard it was in the Mailbox beside the canal, I niavely thought it would be a super trendy place that only sells drinks with names I cant pronounce and frequented by people in suits, which really aint my cup of earl grey. When we arrived I was pleasntly supprised as it was a very modern looking place but with a down to earth feel about it. It sells all the usual stuff you would expect and is also the only place in the Mailbox to sell ales which is nice to see. I had a pint of Hooky Gold which was abit dry for my taste but perfectly kept. The way the bar is basically back to front is abit weird and the bar is made up partly by tables which again is wierd but I really liked that you could see into the cellar from the bar through a window, nice touch. It was roughly �9 for 2 pints and 2 halfs not cheap but then again not over priced. Can bet this place would be packed during a hot summer afternoon which would be the icing on a already very tasty cake. Next time I'm in Birmingham I'll be making my way to here rather than my usual haunts.
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Beer good, but expensive - London prices �3.00 for a standard beer. Menu similarly expensive
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A kind of uber All Bar One - stripped back contemporary environment - but better. Not quite as outstanding as some reviewers here would have you believe - but maybe that's because perhaps I'm too much of a traditionalist.
It is the best in/ near the Mailbox for sure though; although I like the Canalside Cafe down the Basin more, for eccentricity.
Trib in good order.
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A really good bar this one. And it gets an excellent when you consider what is near to it. Like the other reviewers should you feel the need for a beer in the mailbox make it here. It isn't overpriced and there is a good range of beers to be had and they are well kept. The only drawback is that it can take ages to get served when busy, but that's in part due to its popularity.
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Decent enough pub considering where it actually is. Always has a nice choice of well kept ales, Tribute being my favourite, and also a few well chosen malt whiskies. The prices are probably about what one would expect given the rent the owners must pay for their premises! Could probably do with bigger WC's although they can't really be faulted for cleanliness. As a previos reviewer says, if you must drink in the Mailbox, then make it here...
rob69 - 25 Sep 2007 15:42 |
This pub has gone up from a 6 to a 7 in my ratings after last visit. Cracking pint of Staropramen supped by the canal on a hot day.. will be back soon
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I would rate this as the best pub I have been to. Excellent food and beer. Great atmosphere and location. I would recommended this pub to anyone visiting Birmingham. Shame there isn't a pub in London to match it.
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If you must drink in the Mailbox then please make it this one. Excellent in it's choice of beers, relaxed and restrained in it's 'smart' vibe. Found the quality of the food to be of a high standard and the service generally attentive and prompt. It's light years ahead of it's neighbour, the horrendously overated Tap & Spile.
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This is a recent bar that is serving excellent real ales although it has a wine bar feel about it. Lovely location by the canal with tables and chairs outside. The handpumps are on the back of the bar and the barrels can be seen supplying the handpumps behind the bar area. An unusual set up but the ales served could not be faulted. There seemed to be a kitchen full of chefs but had quite a wait for service at the bar.
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