please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Friendly pub moderately filled with what looked like office workers on a Monday lunch time. A pint of Ilkley Ruby Jane (new to me & very nice) was 3.15, welcome after a few days of London prices.
|
Best pub in Birmingham, end of story.
|
Inexpensive beer but good - Moorhouse White Witch in this case. A large, traditional pub in the centre, probably gets mostly an after-work crowd.
|
Spent an hour or so in here yesterday lunchtime with a friend because he wanted to watch the horseracing on one of the 3 TVs (as did quite a few of the other drinkers). Cask Marque pub but the beers were not much above average I felt - I had the Sadler's JPA and the Sharps Atlantic (both the Doom Bar and Greene King IPA were not being sold). The pub itself was quite clean and tidy with some nice stained glass leaded windows and was pretty busy with all age groups who were no doubt attracted by the low prices here (£2.65 for the JPA and £4.49 for a decent burger & pint). Service was fairly miserable and monosyllabic.
|
Haven`t noticed any major change since my last review. It`s an ok if unspectacular pub. The prices are good and there`s usually at least 1 decent ale on. Bar staff are standard friendly and you get served pretty quick. One bonus is it can be a bit quieter than the OC`s so you can have a relaxing slurp with the missus before catching the train.
|
Was very disappointed with this pub. It is in the 2013 Good Beer Guide. But as the previous reviewer says, I'm not sure how. Maybe it has changed hands. The Beer Guide also states that it opens at 9am. But you won't find it open until midday, I'm afraid. The interior is fairly traditional. Beers were uninspiring - Marstons Pedigree, Wadworth St George & The Dragon & Greene King IPA. Football was being shown on the TV and there were plenty of tables available to sit and watch, if you wanted. Disappointing though.
|
This pub used to be good enough for listing in The Good Beer Guide, these days it's barely good enough to remain open. Poor selection of ales and the pump clips are often turned around meaning only one or two uninspiring ones on.
I was charged �2 for a pint of lime and soda the other day (It's 50p in my local).
They decided to close early when I in there last, admittedly there were only 2 people downstairs however there was a good 40 people upstairs at a function who they kicked out!
To be honest I only go there for said functions, just for a drink- nah! Much better places nearby
|
great character, a long time favourite of mine. Like other people have said before though, it may be best to avoid it when its got sport on the telly!
|
Visited on a busy Friday night , rammed `cause there was rugby on the tv screens. Crowd vocal but not in a `your gonna get your head kicked in` way, so rowdy but pleasant atmosphere. Couple of real ales on which were in top nick....for the Old Joint Stockers price watchers....pint and a large glass of paint stripper �6.50...decent pub.
|
Update on my review of 24/8/08. I use this pub a lot more these days, mainly due to the reasonable prices, the addition of another three options for real ale (including Sunchaser, Landlord and EPA), a largely trouble free atmosphere and importantly a significant improvement in the customer care skills of the staff member whose attitude I had taken exception to in my previous posting. No longer showing Sky Sports, the Old Royal's three imposing TV screens seem a bit redundant, but they don't detract from what is now a pleasant, if somewhat low key pub in which to linger over a couple of ales.
|
Agree with the Viking below.
|
Looks like a proper Victorian street corner pub from the outside. Went in there, for the first time, prime time Saturday night. The regulars must have stayed in to watch X Factor as there were only about half a dozen other customers. 3 real ales, good pint of Guinness, no nutcases, clean, spacious, but the lighting was too bright. Wouldn't go there for a session, but maybe again on a crawl.
|
Recommended. Has sadly lost some of its old fashioned value on the interiors, but beer always nice and the clientele safe and friendly.
It does get too packed at lunch times, tho, so arrive early for a seat. 7/10
|
Superb pub. Best Carling in Birmingham City Centre and the staff are great. Food is excellent especially the mixed grill and a pint special on a Wednesday. Curry specials on a Thursday. Great full English Breakfast from 9.00am Mon-Thur, 8.00am Friday.
|
Mitchells & Butlers pub,featuring Marstons Pedigree & Marstons EPA so nothing exciting on the real ale front. Sat outside in the sun on one of the few tables on the pavement,nothing to right home about, 6/10
|
Victorian street-corner pub situated in the Colmore Business District of the City Centre.
Despite an impressive exterior and some original internal features such as a fine bar back and some leaded stained glass windows, the pub has, what I would largely describe as, a standard chain pub interior, not helped by the usual promotional posters advertising cheap drinks and meal deals.
The walls are decorated with pictures and prints of former kings and queens, reflecting the pub's name. There's an upstairs function room with some fine tiling on the staircase.
There's 3 handpumps, which, on my recent lunchtime visit, were offering Bass, Pedigree and Harviestoun Bitter and Twisted, the latter being on superb form and only � 2 per pint. Not seeing any other pump clips behind the bar, I would hazard a guess that these beers may be regular offerings. The pub has been a CAMRA GBG regular in recent years.
On the food front, my Club Sandwich - accompanied by a generous portion of chips - was tasty, filling and arrived promptly, despite the pub being reasonably busy. Customers were a good mixture of office staff and locals.
This is a perfectly adequate and acceptable City Centre pub.
|
I love this pub and spend most saturday evenings in there, i love the exterior and the interior, the beer price is very reasonable, the staff are always helpful and polite and are very quick at serving you. On a Saturday evening you get a lot of Aston Villa and West Brom fans if there at home and it can get a bit crowded and very noisy but apart from that this is a cracking pub in the Centre of Birmingham, in fact i think i'll be paying the Old Royal another visit tonight
|
I like this pub despite the most miserable staff I have ever encountered. It seems to close at random times, but the prices are very reasonable. The pub is in a lovely victorian building and is close to the old contemptibles - I usually combine the two if i'm in town as the old contemptibles is quite pricey. Handy for snow hill station
|
OK for those seeking a relatively unmodernised pub in the centre, and the Landlord was good enough, but very plain and would not get anywhere near the Good Beer Guide in most towns, Worth a try though.
|
I enjoy a visit to this pub and would always recommend it.
Again, a fantastic Victorian building with nice interior, leather seats and art work on the walls. The service has always been fine, and the food very good.
The fact they serve up Fullers London Pride is offset by the fact they do M&B MILD, which is always decent. The other real ale was Harviestoun Bitter and Twisted.
|
Nice, clean and bright pub, lovely pint of Harviestoun bitter and twisted at a very reasonable price...
|
Visited this pub on a Friday evening pub crawl for one , but liked it so much we stayed for several . Our experience was much different to the previous reviews - the pub was busy , but the music wasnt too loud for conversation , the service was effecient and friendly - in fact when one of the ales ran out just short of a pint we were given it on the house !! Choice of three ales all just over �2 a pint , well kept and crystal clear and more than a �1 cheaper than the OCs round the corner. Will go again soon - 8 out of 10.
|
Bennean is right. One large screen in each bar; conversation impossible.
Regis - 22 Apr 2009 16:39 |
Tried to go in there on the 4th April; got turned away, Neanderthal at the door says "regulars only, there's a match on". Charming. They don't want our custom, so don't bother.
Try the Old Contemptibles instead, much better.
|
Used to call in here every time I stayed over in Birmingham, but I hadn't been in for over two years until last week. Nothing seeme to have changed at all. To me this place looks like a typical London pub, old wood, glass, mirrors etc. Nothing spectacular but generally decent looking. They were having a special 6 nations promotion with a beer on from each of the home nations so the cask ale was �2 a pint. Dirt cheap for Birmingham city centre where I regularly pay �2.80 - �3. They had Pedigree (England), Brains S.A. (Wales) and Harviestoun Bitter and Twisted (Scotland). No idea what happened to Ireland. It's still a decent place, I'll call in yet again when next in Brum
|
dont think much has changed here since Beastlyrotters comment Oct07
there was agression with the guy serving us, especially as 1 out of the four had peanuts and not a drink. They were �1 a bag anyway so not exactly bad custom and the other 3 all tried the xmas ale Santas Tipple.
Very nice ale and infact once away from the bar was a good place to watch sky sports news and enjoy a pint.
|
Unfortunately I will not be returning to this generally sound pub until a particular member of the bar staff is either replaced or has an attitude transplant. For reasons I couldn't fathom on my last visit his idea of serving my pint was to virtually throw it at me over the bar. Not once, but twice. I don't need this nor it seems does the pub need me, so ta ta for now. His presence has reduced my rating. Shame.
|
Not a bad pub for a saturday afternoon if you are in town.Packed out saturdays with a friendly crowd,food not bad...worth a visit.
|
Lovely old pub, efficient servive by somewhat strange and agressive barman / manager
|
This is a great pub, nice cheap wine and beer, and the staff are nice if you smile at them! Lost many an hour in here.
|
A proper pub with decent enough beer. Not bad at all, especially for the cenre of town.
|
A Lovely old pub, atmosphere spoiled by rude, ignorant manager and staff.
anonymous - 9 May 2007 12:54 |
A fantastic real pub, good beer and very good prices. Combine this with football on the t.v (not too loud!), friendly regulars and bar staff and you have a winner. Highly recommended.
|
I enjoy coming here, nice decor, good staff, good beers.
However, I find the idea of having a "non-smoking area" as delineated by the signs, with ashtrays on the tables and no enforcement of said policy, a bit annoying.
I mean, have a non-smoking area or not. I'm looking forward to when there won't be any choice in the matter.
|
good old english pub well worth a visit when in the area
|
A pub in every sense of the word. If you like the traditional feel & atmosphere of A PUB,the visit this place.
|
I agree with Glenn.
|
Real pub amosphere,keeping old traditions alive great service staff & clientele very friendly,food well done & beer always top notch whatever your tipple.
Glenn Goodman - 14 Nov 2004 14:02 |
This is a great pub. I was expecting to find a real "old man" pub with locals who stare at you as you walk in, but instead i found a warm and friendly atmosphere, a real mix of customers and extremely nice staff. And its got that classic english pub feel to the decor. A great place to stop for a quick one on the way to the jewelry quarter from town, or vice versa. Id quite happily sit in there all night to be honest. Very close to Snow Hill station, might pop in during the day if my train is going to be late.
rob - 6 Nov 2004 17:11 |
class pub brilliant atmosphere friendly people good fruit machines and a quality pint.
joe - 23 Jan 2004 16:21 |
Traditional English Pub with real ales & food served all day originally Red Lion Hotel with plenty of history in an area which is for ever changing
Peter Caswell - 14 Sep 2003 04:08 |
