please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
It's one of my normal ports of call when working in Birmingham. Yes it's a little expensive (Pride £4.50 and signature pie - lamb shoulder shepherd's pie with braised red cabbage £14.00) but the quality of the food was superb. Usual range of Fuller's beers but increasingly they're stocking a range of guest ales. Well worth a visit.
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There are a few pubs in the UK that I have avoided in the past as their imposing appearance seem (to me) to exude exclusivity. Like Groucho, I refused to join a club that would accept me as a member. This year however I shaved, dressed neatly & decided to enter here. Have to say the interior was splendid & worth the effort but the pint of Pride (4.00) seemed poured under sufferance (even though the place was near empty mid afternoon).
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Finally went here recently.
Much as I expected (like some of their London pubs) magnificent surroundings but expensive.
I had an Olivers Island which was very good.
I was amazed at the prices being asked for the boxed and bottle Vintage Ales. According to the knowledgeable barman these do sell.
Good experience but don't forget your wallet.
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Splendid building, comfortable and efficient service on my visit. The Chiswick was in superb condition - but pricey at £3.45. Worth dropping-in for one, but very expensive for a session! 7/10.
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lovely building! Really lovely building! I think we came at the wrong time though- took us at least 15 mins to get served on a Friday night. The beer was of great quality but kind of on the expensive side at £4 a pint.
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Yeah - noticed the prices. Due to the evening crowds on the Thursday before XMAS, we doubled up on our rounds. 2xESB and a Large VAT provided £4 change from a score. Questioned the bar man on the price of the VAT and he said 8 or 9 quid.
I guess we are paying for the maintenance of the Dome. Either that, or the huge Xmas Tree that defied logic on how they got it in :-)
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OK for a quick one but no more at £3.79 a pint of Pride.
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Large ornate building, inside and out. Looks like it might have been a bank or similar. Fullers Ale and Pie pub. Food was good, fairly quick service for a busy evening. Castle Rock, Harvest Pale £3.90!!!
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I haven't been paying attention, I have never noticed a fullers pub outside the smoke.
We could see this from the balcony of the Wellington (another one not to be missed) and had to check it out.
Absolutely heaving, but we managed to get a couple of pews at the bar. We could sit and admire the architecture and the service of the barstaff, which was outstanding in such a busy place.
I never noticed the price - told you I didnt pay attention - but my ESB was superb. Worthy of a photo.
Would definitely come back.
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Fullers seem to be the new 'upmarket' wetherspoon - another former bank building conversion which feels every much a chain shop/store/bank conversion as any Wetherspoon. Can't think of when Fullers last opened a new conventional pub. Not a great deal between Wetherspoon and Fullers these days - all they do is race to open the next soul less drinking barn.
anonymous - 3 Nov 2013 18:17 |
techno12 : sorry to hear about the price of your lager - that is rather pricey, but then you talk of Wetherspoons' price. I know Wetherspoons are unbeatable on price, but I would far rather drink in Fuller's pub any day of the week. I'm lucky (?) as I don't drink much so the price does not impact too much on me.
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Ridiculously expensive.
Just been charged £4.25 for a Heineken! The very similar Carlsberg is £1.99 in the Spoons I have just left. Gobsmacked how much the Heineken is as I tried to choose the cheapest lager (Carling is off today)
Lovely building and great view of the park and cathedral, but far too expensive!!
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A decent Fullers pub in a nice setting overlooking the Anglican Cathedral. However it is very expensive, a pint of 3.9% cask ale setting me back £3.80!
alexw - 24 Jun 2013 21:44 |
Overdue return, enjoyed the pub but the Beer Geek ale was a bit too homebrew for me; shame the ESB wasn't on.
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Was glad to find this Fullers pub opened on my Saturday morning visit. It's a grand building both inside and out, typical of many Fuller's Ale & Pie Houses. There were plenty of people serving and enough customers to create a decent atmosphere too. As you would expect, most of the beers came from the Fullers range - London Pride, Bengal Lancer, Discovery, Chiswick, ESB & Spring Sprinter. I tried the guest beer from Warwickshire - Golden Bear, which was ok. I noted a sign that stated no football colours are allowed -beware. A nice pub but there are many better in the area.
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this is a brilliant pub in the heart of Birmingham. Huge choice of ales: Fullers, gales and guest ales. The pies are magnificent too. A slight drawback is the price but you do get quality service here and the Government's beer duty escalator is largely to blame for price increases.
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It`s nearly Xmas, German market, twinkly lights, the smell of sausages....good job I`d been saving my cash all year `cause the missus loves this place. It`s impressive, the service is good, it`s rammed, the beer is nice..."I`ll have a double gin and tonic" Nurse! oxygen!
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Now I confess that the OJS caught me out. Like jarofporter I thought this was a typical Fullers pub as a journey in a clockwise direction around the central bar showed the usual ubiquitous range of ales (Chiswick Pide, HSB etc).
However, the Good Beer Guide entry said guest beers and as I arrived at the last set of pumps there, like an Oasis, were 5 guest beers. The Beowulf Porter was superb and whilst I only had time for a solitary pint I would go back.
The moral of my tale - go anti clockwise next time
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It's just like being in a London pub without the hassle of going to London. Top notch Fuller's ales. AMAZING pies! Prices quite high though.
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An impressive building and as good a Fullers pub as you can find. Enjoyed one of the pies on offer plus a good pint of discovery. Usually 2 guests on as well.
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Amazing pub just a shame it was �3.75pint for a 4% ale but guess it's Fullers prices, 7/10
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Dear DAKING sorry if I sounded as if I was trying to teach you to suck eggs
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Dear malo66 yes as a camra member of many years i do know that but the simple fact is a lot of camra members are as my self and like a head on there real ale as i know alot of members donot like a head ,and even in london i have fullers ales with a better head/condition than in the joint stock .its a case of each to there own,even realale fans.
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There are often many ways to evaluate and conclude whether a pub is good, bad or merely middling.
Whichever criteria you choose to apply to this pub, depending on what you look for in your drinking establishments, I can�t imagine how this pub would fail on any. Of course, you might say such an opinion presumes all reviewers want the same things, but if you�re going into a pub like this in the first place, you already have some idea of what you�re going to get. A wonderful interior, a selection of beers, lagers and wines with efficient and friendly service.
I agree that�s the intention of many, many pubs all over the country. But few, if any, do it as well as here.
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Dear DAKING - real ale should be "flat" because if it is 'real' it will not contain any of the terrible artificial products which cause some beers to have a 'superb' frothy head. The head you get with real ale comes mostly from the movement of beer through the pipes and into your glass. Thereafter most real ale will indeed appear flat.
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great building well worth a look but real ale is so flat ,if it has a head it last 1minute same every time we go in and when ur paying sky high prices we expect a top quality pint service can be very hit and miss in here to .
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A beautiful Fullers pub that looks like it should really be a gallery or museum. A stunning glass dome above is a pretty spectacular site, not usually found in your average Fullers establishment. Unfortunately I found the prices, even for a Fullers pub, to be very, very steep indeed. My gf & I went in- I ordered a Honey Dew- excellent as ever, and she ordered a not-quite-as-exciting Carling; and incredibly it somehow came to �8.05. No Fullers pub that I've visited in London even charges that. Plus, there aren't enough nice, simple tables to sit on. Too many uncomfortable tall, backless stools.
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Getting to be one of the best quality beer condition pubs in the City. Expensive and service can be hit and miss but beer worth the downsides.
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great pub in the centre of Birmingham where you can sample most of Fuller's great range of real ales. The interior decor is fantastic as a lot of the luxurious 19th century banking decor survives.
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Large pub with a range of local ales (gets a 'LocAle' pump clip!). I would like to go back when it isn't so busy.
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Previously rated this pub highly but after seeing staff woefully failing to deal with a busy Saturday night, I shan't be returning again in a while. Shame.
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What a great building - an interior to marvel at. Good range of Fullers ales & I think most of us tried the Black Cab stout at �3.45/pint. Prices are irrelevant when compared to the views inside.
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Pop in here from time to time at lunchtime. Great range of beers, although pricey, and a fantastic building. Went in on a Sunday evening a while ago with another couple. Our wives were the only females in the place and me and my mate got some unusual looks from some of the other customers.....something we need to know???
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Brilliant pint of ESB in a fantastically interesting pub with terrific jazz from a young trio last Sunday lunchtime.
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The Briar Rose is just a pub, although very cheap.....prefer the Old Contemptables....2 minute walk from OJS......excellent range of well kept ales - pint and a large glass of paint stripper �7......
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Blastbeat, you are welcome to the Briar Rose - I will stick to the very popular Old Joint Stock and the Wellington which is just round the back of OJS.
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Odin has obviously fallen for the wine hype or has too much money to burn. For �6 I`d want the wine in a 10 gallon bucket served by a strapping buxom serving wench (that`s not meant in an Andy Gray sexist way incase your concerned)
The Briar Rose a minutes walk away....in Birmingham City centre...... served the same paint stripper and an ale for �5.40.
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Blastbeat - you didn't specify the type of wine, this can vary in quality quite considerably. �6 for a glass of house paint stripper would be quite extreme but , if it was a 250 cl glass, from a bottle, that would be in the shops for over a tenner, then the mark up would be reasonable.
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Blastbeat - wine glass sizes do vary and a 'large' glass might be the equivalent of 2 ordinary glasses elsewhere. Also, this is the centre of Birmingham, you know!
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Lovely place well known for being expensive but when they`re charging 6 quid for a large glass of white wine then you know the mick is being truly taken. �9.15 for said vino and a real ale has made this top of the pops for prices...even a greedy bonus grabbing banker would struggle to afford getting merry in this place!
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5th pub on Weekend pub crawl. Looked and smelt like they served good food. Good selection of mainly Fullers beers including Fullers - Bengal Lancer & Titanic Night To Remember. Would recomend grabbing a beer and heading upstairs to get a table over-looking the bar. Very busy on a Saturday lunchtime.
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Plainly a carbon copy of the kind of bank-conversion pubs favoured by Fullers down in London, but despite the migration of this rather grandiose concept up the M1 including London pricing strategies, it is hard to say it has failed. The building is spectacular and Fullers have done a fine job in making the most of its features and restoring the best of them where possible. The usual spread of Fullers cask choices abound, although there is room on this bar for a further 3 guests, all from local breweries such as ABC. Some were in better condition than others, but overall we were not disappointed.
I should say that given the popularity of the place, service was maintained at a reasonable level and the management clearly recognise the need for a good number of staff to ensure all hands are to the pumps.
In many ways very un-Birmingham, but in a city environment where numerous identikit multiples jostle for position on the main thoroughfares, a splash of Fuller-ism is not such a bad thing, and few vertically-integrated family brewers know how to present this kind of hostelry than them.
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A real find in the centre of Brum, if somewhat expensive!
Spacious and ornate, this a real curiosity, a Fullers house in the grimy second city of England. A varied cliente ranging from office dollies to bohemian wannabees who seemingly cross pollinate and submerge into one.
Quaffed the ESB and Red Foxx, both in excellent condition. Go and savour!
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A smashing pub with lots of choices on tap and a friendly and warm atmosphere always. Highly recommended at Xmas time during the evening if you can get a window seat, from there you can take in the lights on the trees and the church gorgeously lit up. 9/10
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Have only just read post by Martinsh about a "greeter". Whilst I can see this would be disconcerting, I am personally pleased to hear they have a greeter because that must mean the pub gets very busy. I have only been able to visit at weekends so far and it was fairly quiet (Saturday afternoon).
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Fairly smart upmarket pub, by pigeon park, just round the corner from the Wellington, should you find that place disagreeable. Good selection of beers and occasionally has a beer festival. A bit more expensive than some of the other pubs nearby, not much change from �10 for 3 pints. Interesting looking building, which contains a theatre, not sure it is ever in use, but there are usually a few theatrical types hovering around in there.
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See ChrisP87's review four below. Sums up this pub perfectly.
Went here a couple of weeks ago. Didn't see anything of the "greeter" mentioned below, so I'm not docking a mark for that! Standard Fullers pub. Their Discovery is probably my favourite pint in Birmingham city centre - always served cold, and tastes great. Pricey at �3.15 though. It is a Fullers, but we're NOT in London. Other standards include HSB and ESB, and a couple of rotating guests (which I didn't sample).
Full of suits no matter what time you seemingly go in there, so guaranteed a trouble-free night unless a stag do wanders in.
Well worth a visit if you fancy a nice pint.
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Not too much to knock about this pub, doesn`t mean I`d want to spend all night in there though - unless entertaining a member of the opposite sex of course! Impressive building, subtle tunes so you can have a conversation without shouting, beers decents enough...though pricey! Door and bar staff friendly and efficient....maybe lacks a bit of atmosphere `cause of it`s size.
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Reasonable city centre pub with good selection of beer. Seems a bit dearer than some of the nearby pubs, so less riff raff in there.
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Have been to this place several times. You can get the flavour of it from other peoples posts, so I'll just comment on the changes since my last visit.
Now seem to have more guest beers. Had 3 on my visit, which all seem to be local to Birmingham. [ May have even been morer guests cos we only investigated 2 sides of the central bar ! ]
Now have a "greeter" at the door who asks whether you are going to order food or not - I have docked 1 point from my rating because of this ! [ NB my friend replied "yes", I said "no" !
The spaciousness is neccessary because it can get absolutely packed ! I was surprised we had no problems finding an empty table at 1.45pm on a weekday.
If you want "intimate" there are a couple of smaller rooms at the rear - though these are sometimes used for private functions.
No-one seems to have mentioned that there is a theatre upstairs (I've not been to it )
Rating - 7 (would have been 8 except for the greeter !)
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Those familiar with Fullers Ale & Pie houses in London will identify things easily here; High ceilings, wooden fixtures & fittings, ground & mezzanine split levelling, a large circular bar and an admittedly very impressive domed skylight. Unusually for a Fullers' pub, this one had guest ales such as Doctor J ale and Warwickshire Young Man's fancy (both in good form if dear at �3.20). I didn't stay long in Birmingham on my first visit but the impression I get with those more au fait with the city's pub scene this is one of the best in Brum; It didn't set my pulse racing but it is a perfectly reasonable option if you find yourself in the area.
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a listed building, just out of city centre, by the cathedral.
the tall, stone front leads into a very impressive, high-ceilinged room, with a second floor above. an ornate well decorated ceiling, with domed sky-light.
the central rectangular bar has four sets of six pumps, all serving the same 6 ales.
these are all fullers, such as london pride, esb, gales hsb & some seasonal.
all quality ales, but at around �3/pint, not that good value, as was the menu.
regarding the 'atmosphere', I would say large premises need large numbers of people to provide it. otherwise they feel empty.
***
verdict:
very impressive interior, good ales & menu [albeit a bit pricey].
an 8 from me.
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Famous bank conversion pub by Birmingham's small cathedral. If you've been to any of Fuller's bank conversion pubs in London then you'll know exactly what to expect- grand airy opulence, with traditional wooden fittings and a lack of any real atmosphere. That said, it's my only gripe, as the Fullers range of 6 beers is invariably well-kept if expensive, and the food is very good and not really expensive-often have the Old Joint Stock Balti Pie in here which is excellent. Staff are courteous enough in my experience, but not overly friendly (they rarely are in such places, nor do I expect them to be). Definitely worth a visit at least once but there are more authentic 'proper' pubs in Birmingham.
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I just love this pub. I recently had a huge pie with chips (have not eaten any pies for years, so found this very enjoyable!) washed down with a pint of Fuller's ale. Terrific pub in my view, but I do concede that the spaciousness might not be to everyone's taste.
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i've never enjoyed any of my visits to this pub and haven't been there for sometime but even 3 years ago they were charging almost �3 for a pint of cider, whilst the decor is stunning and the exterior and interior are top notch, i personally don't think the place has got any atmosphere and that could be because of its vast size. I never liked any of the real ale either it always seemed to cold. Thumbs down for this pub from me i'm afraid
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Stunning decor - one of the best conversions I've seen. The central bar layout and very high ceilings mean that there is plenty to see from almost any seat (and I imagine that you get an interesting view from the rear mezzanine balcony, but this wasn't open when I visited). The guest ale, Dictator '09 from the local Beowolf Brewing, proved a good alternative to the extensive range of Fullers beers. Only quibble is that you get charged London prices, but well worth a visit just to admire the interior.
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very nice ESB, usually anyway. the room at the back is nice.
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Fantastic former financial building, with a beautiful interior, where an archivist can pass half an hour identifying the historical busts on display - and by that i mean statues! Pericles and Alexander the Great for example.
Sadly, two things let it down. Generally, the bar staff are about as merry as the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, and a little less talkative to boot. Secondly, its Fullers. They have the full range, with other Fullers owned stuff, like ESB. They do have the usual type taps, with Leffe and often a Beowulf drink, this time, the Dark Raven, a strong MILD. I had the Honey Dew, which was ok, as the rest is not to my taste and had Dark Raven several times in the past.
Other
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During a recent daytime tour of Birminghams pubs we decided to pay another visit to The Old Joint Stock based on a visit had on a previous outting. I have to be blunt and say I cant knock this place at all, reading coments below makes me wonder if their talking about the same Old Joint Stock as me? Firstly I have to point out a comment below stating that a pint of Discovery was served cold. I hope the person below realises that its meant to be served cold and has the word "chilled" on the pump clip. I only bring this up as it one of my favourite drinks here along with the superb ESB. Some of our group decided to order food this time round and werent disappointed it arrived quickly and was very hot. We visited at lunch time and it was very busy but I felt service was quick and friendly.
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Typical Fullers London bank building conversion, but in Birmingham. The usual impressive high ceilings and old paintings, it's fine but nothing unusual these days. Had the whole standard Fullers range on tap plus a "guest" Gales HSB who are owned by..........yep Fullers, so it's not a guest at all. Had a pint of Discovery which was served cold as usual. Has a theatre upstairs which is pretty uniquel, also has jazz session nights. It's OK for one.
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Paid a visit to The Old Joint Stock on recommendation from The Good Beer Guide and Good Pub Guide. The beer selection was very good on the ale front, my friend and I had a pint of chilled Fullers Discovery, there were about 8 ales to choose from if I remember correctly all from Fullers apart from the one guest. The service wasnt as bad as people are making out in my opinion but we did visit when it was quiet. I hear at 5 oclock onwards this place is packed with the local office staff so that could mean a slower more abrupt service. Prices are a little steep but its the city centre so its not over priced by any means. The building and interior are the real stars though, I won't go into details but its impressive. I will be visiting again and alot more often.
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Large, multi roomed, two levelled pub offering such novelties as a theatre as well as musical diversions. It attracts trendies, suits, and cultured real ale types yet to a sociable type like myself I also find it totally impersonal. Hang around the bar for any length of time and you're soon made to feel a nuisance. The standard and range of it's ales is reasonable, unlike the prices. The service is variable, never above formally courteous but often applied with harrassed surliness. However there are regular punters who swear by this pub and it's cavenous, ornate interior stands comparison to a small cathedral. This is either your type of pub or not, if so it's up to the mark, if not there are suitable less intimidating alternatives nearby.
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Dont know if people really no what a good pub is but this isnt one, overpriced service is slow and staff are rude had a pie in there last week tasted like it was out of a packet and microwaved then charged about �9 for it . The manger should look at it from a customer point of veiw rather then a money in pocket point of view, dont know what has happened to it since last year but its shocking sort it out fullers
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I'm not a fan of bank conversions, but this is a really tasteful place. Great range of beers from Fullers, all kept well. The menu looked great so we called back in later in the day for some food. It was OK..... could have been a bit warmer.
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City centre pubs have become rather standardised - the same interiors, the same drinks, the same musical soundtrack. In short, the same thing that's happened to high street shops. This place has all that. You know what you're getting. BUT...luckily, there's also board games available for a �5 deposit, which in our case was a few good rounds of Connect 4. This pub also has a theatre, which obviously goes down as a plus. So what in other senses is an ordinary city pub has some good extras that make it worth a visit.
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City centre pubs have become rather standardised - the same interiors, the same drinks, the same musical soundtrack. In short, the same thing that's happened to high street shops. This place has all that. You know what you're getting. BUT...luckily, there's also board games available for a �5 deposit, which in our case was a few good rounds of Connect 4. This pub also has a theatre, which obviously goes down as a plus. So what in other senses is an ordinary city pub has some good extras that make it worth a visit.
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A welcome outlet for Fullers beers in Birmingham, which is usually busy, but with enough room for everyone. Good food too.
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Went here again..... just gets better was very busy on a Friday afternoon but the beer was excellent a couple of barrels had gone but even though it was very busy they got changed straight away and the line was cleaned top service had a Pie from the specials menu Balti Sausage Pie excellent the pint of discovery I had was cool and refreshing the half of honeydew was tasty and clear like I said it just gets better.
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WARNING. The Bailiffs who issue warrants for your arrest. Drink in this pub.
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Nice pint of cool Chiswick on a hot day recently. Staff fine. Wonderful room. Much better now it is non-smoking.
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There have been big changes at The Old Joint Stock and it seems to be for the better, The Beer is looking and tasting good and the service has improved 100%. The food is tasty and the pub now has a dining area with full table service, DID YOU KNOW there is a Theatre on the second floor of this outstanding and beautiful building, It is well worth a visit.
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Always very busy but it was never a scrum.
The Fullers Chiswick was a nice pint. I didn�t have a problem with the staff but they looked miserable.
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To use an Only Fools and Horses joke, the staff really should sue the charm school..otherwise a good example of what City Centre Chain has come to mean - large, hectic, dark(!). Fullers Chiswick I had on Saturday was fine, but looking around the tables I think I was one of the lucky ones.. Fine for a swiftie accompanied by a game of Connect Four (yours for just a fiver deposit)
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Rude staff (especially if you're not wearing a suit). It's good as an alleyway between the cathedral and the Wellington...
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I like London Pride but not at this place. Staff lack people skillss.
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The ESB in here is usually fairly good, the layout and decor of the pub is good, but the staff and food leave a lot to be desired. Never have I had such pathetic excuses for vegetables to accompany a pie! Nip in for a pint on the way elsewhere, but dear lord never order food there, or expect anything resembling good service.
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Interesting how different views of the same pub can read. One of my regular haunts and yep the beer does vary in quality but the worst i have had is often much better than many of the other City Centre pubs.
Always on my rounds for a crawl but don't try it on a Sunday as it closes!
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Redbug went north on the fullers trail what is this with fullers and their dishy managers !!! great pub this one has everything one would want to satisfy the needs...............
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A great and not so great pub. Reminds me of Bennetts inside with its cavernous ceiling (like Bennetts it used to be a bank). The exterior, interior and the theatre are the best things about it. Sadly, the beer is usually poor, and I have felt ill on occasions after drinking here. This goes for the lager and the bitter.
However, that hasn't been on every visit I must add, and overall it is a decent enough City Centre pub.
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Cannot be compared to the wellington. This place is far far better.Ok, the beer may not be great(but then neither is the wellington's)but the building is superb, and thankfully you don't get many people from the wrong side of the Midlands.
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Ok, this pub is spectacular inside and out. Modern drapes and relatively well kept furniture compliment the original panels, railings and light fixtures. The place even has comedy nights and live music in its own theatre. This is about the nearest thing to culture your ever likely to find in Birmingham.
Marvelling upon the fixtures and fittings, is however, where the fascination ends. The Fullers is rancid London canal swill, served by a host of dirty students. However, your near Broad Street and not in the degerate sink that is the Corner House.
Merry Xmas
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An old favourite and my regular. Its a shame that they seem to find it so difficult to keep staff. Its too common to see different staff every month. But go here for the excellent beer and lovely building. They have theatre now as well.
Sid98 - 12 Dec 2007 17:31 |
Another excellent pub -its like the Birmingham buses- you wait around for an hour and then 2 come together.The Stock and the Wellington (out the back) are superb. The price of beer is high but with Fullers you really do get what you pay for. Only one gripe stops me giving this place 10/10- watch out for short measures when busy.To be fair,they do top up but it shouldnt be necessary.Nice to be able to now breathe in oxygen in there aswell.
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the beer is good but pricy. the atmosphere used to be horribly smoky but now has been transformed so that you can see the wonderful room. Room? its like the size of a dance floor & 3 stories high. fabulous & all topped off by a theatre on the roof! never tried the food.
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I called in to sample one of the Beowulf guests in this fine pub, and had a wander round. The view over the balcony has to be seen to be believed. It is a fantastic pub to look round from ground floor level, but if you get a chance have a wander upstairs too. I had no problem with the service or the quality of the beer.
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visited mid afternoon and the staff were pleasant enough and the beer was very tasty.However its the interior of this pub which is so great.
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Can't believe such a wonderful pub can be spoilt by such unhappy and uncaring staff. Beer decent, however but if I was managing this pub I'd give the staff some training in customer service.
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I like this pub. As pointed out in many reviews the interior is great, its clean and they pore a nice pint. Only downside is expensive, but hey what do you expect when they attract tonnes of office workers every lunch time and Friday eve. I visit from time to time when touring pubs up town which is a kinda hobbey. Will stretch to 6/10
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I agree with what everyone has said about the staff, longest faces in town. Also the last time i went there i ordered food which was thrown onto the table with such force it almost skidded past me. Sadly once i started eating the food it didn't outshine the service; of the three of us eating we all thought the food to be dry and tasteless. Two of the pies came without gravy and the one that did have gravy had such a minimal amount as to render it useless to moisten up anything more than two chips. Very very poor on the food front. This is a shame as the building is a grand affair and the beers appear to be kept well and tase very nice (if a little cold)The ESB being the finest beer available. Its a shame about the staff and food as it could be a great pub.
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Not coming from Birmingham i wasn't sure what to expect but the high ceilings and grand interior didnt make up for the nasty toilets and not particularly wonderful pint.
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Gone are the days when you got glared at if you ventured over the thrreshold in anything other than a suit, now whilst most of the clientle are business types you do get people in jeans and tes shirts, although a brass plaque on the door does forbid hats or football shirts.
Unlike other reviewers, I found the staff to be pleasent enough and service was fine even on a busy lunchtime. Food is pricey and the fact that a portion of Coleslaw for your burger is not free but costs a whopping �1.50 extra did niggle me a bit.
Well kept beers served from a central bar - not very disabled friendly though as enterance to the pub is up three steps
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It was very much a flying visit in here after leaving the Wellington to catch the bus. The interior was very impressive and reminded me of the Abbotsford Bar in Edinburgh. Had a quick half of Gales Winter Warmer which was quite good. I did not experience any problems getting served and fancy eating here the next time in Birmingham.
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Fullers London Pride was in fine form on my visit last week and yes the interior is marvellous and this is still one of my favourite Ale and Pies, but unfortunately I have to agree with the previous contributor about staff attitude - being served by someone with a long face who would clearly rather be elsewhere - and who is not afraid to show it - is simply not good enough.
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Great place, great pies and good beer.
Unfortunately I've had to revise my rating downwards after consistently being confronted by bad service. Slow at best and miserable, rude and couldn't-care-less at worst. To the management: sort out your staff! A smile wouldn't go amiss.
In the manner of a school report: shows excellent potential, must try harder.
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Our Birmingham mini MILD trail included this Joint as we expected to get either a London Porter or a Gales Festival MILD. Both have now been taken off in favour of yet another bitter, worse than that the Wellington was jam packed to overflowing so finished off our Wellington MILDS in the Joints adjoining courtyard before going in. We were spoken to very rudely for doing so. Not a good advert so our previous high score has now been knocked way down.
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Followed Carl Chinn on his recent pub crawl into this place from the back door of the Wellington. Very impressive and palacial interior. No MILD here but the draught Fullers London Porter was an excellent alternative. Thanks to Carl for introducing me to this pub a brilliant find I would never have thought of entering otherwise. It adds another dimension to the variety of MILDS on offer at the Wellington.
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I remember it as a bank. Nowadays glad to find that one can withdraw several pints of Chiswick. An excellent addition to the facilities of the second city.
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Looks forbiddingly smart from the outside, but don't
worry, they let anybody in! The full range of Fullers'
(IIRC it is their northenmost outpost). Prices above
average for brum, but look at the palatial interior!
Left out of the GBG one year over a silly storm-in-a-teacup.
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Great pub, definetly not your average! Nice ales, and the pies are delicious! Staff are pretty warming. Although most people appear to have come from work in their posh suits, dont let that put you off.
This is one pub to show off to your friends when in birmingham..
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Terrific pub. Good beer and nice interior. I think it used to be a bank. Now the only think you can bank on is the beer! ha ha ha....Seriously though. go there, sit in a corner, smoke a pipe and whine on about the good old days. You rock.
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Well, living in Fullers territory, I just had to pop in here when working in Birmingham last week.
For those familiar with the Fullers Ale and Pie concept, this is one of the better ones. The Fullers London Pride was on moderate form only and, interestingly, I noticed that most of the other customers - mainly suits - were trying the new Fullers Discovery beer ( a beer for people who aren't beer drinkers, if you get my drift ).
In conclusion, I was slightly disappointed this time round, but this is still a "must visit when in Birmingham" pub, in my book
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Set in an extremely impressive old bank, lots of shiny objects and things. Not all that cheap, but the beer is good (all Fullers) and the pies are rather nice too. Nice posh setting and pleasingly different from your average pub.
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Once great pub, improved recently after years of decline. Decent food, decent beer, better surroundings if a bit shabby these days.
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Full of Suited business people who are rude. Prices are high, service is dire (unless you like constantly waiting). Not recomended unless your ignorant and wear a suit...
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A great pub that keeps it's large selection of beers well. The only Fuller's pub in the country that is based north of Bristol. Decor is nice and there are a couple of rooms at the back that are nice and cosy. Totally let down by its obscenely expensive prices (for Birmingham) and, to a lesser extent, the questionable service with a smile.
Stuart - 24 Jun 2004 14:19 |
Great building and decent beer. The size takes away some of the ambience and the food is very pricey and there are better alternatives in a much improved Birmingham centre for pubs
Geoff - 10 Apr 2004 07:30 |
A "real" real ale drinkers pub.
Let down by its high prices.
The ESB is a delight.
Sid98 - 5 Apr 2004 22:53 |
Busy Pub popular with Office workers & next to the Cathedral. Beer good but bit overpriced,(2 wetherspoons within walking distance) the Chiswick & Beowulf ?are worth checking. Worth visiting to view the interior.
bg - 25 Mar 2004 20:58 |
Smart and large. Prices on the high side though. Have only been at lunchtime when its busy with suited and booted business types
Colin - 24 Mar 2004 11:08 |
Great beer Fullers London Pride and ESB, really well kept. Great Building, used to be a Bank. A bit noisy and busy on Friday nights, but for good reason.
Tasty Food as well.
Moose - 10 Mar 2004 21:39 |
Agree with Andrew (29/1). Well worth a visit.
John - 8 Mar 2004 12:57 |
A Fullers "Ale & Pie" house. A large pub that used to be a bank. It is truly magnificent and has won an award for the design which I describe as "Romanesque". There is an upstairs balcony area. It has a central bar and serves all Fullers beers as well as Hoegaarden on draft. Food is good if a little pricey. Well worth a visit if only to take a look and have a glorious pint of ESB!!!
Andrew - 29 Jan 2004 11:07 |
