Hockley, Birmingham:
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Desi pub in a lovely traditional Victorian building, on the edge of the Jewellery Quarter, in the direction of the city.
It feels like it was maybe once much bigger- it’s now one room. The staff were really pleasant- the tables were all reserved for diners, but they said we were OK for a drink at one for a while. The food looked and smelt fabulous, the beer was good, and there was a nice atmosphere.
Hockley, Birmingham:
Quite typically Hockley- craft beer as well as cask, a little trendy and hipster, card payments only. Heading backwards looked a bit food-dominated (to be fair, their Sunday lunch seems popular), so we went forward to the window. Great beer, friendly staff, and a nice relaxed vibe. I’d been meaning to come here for a while, and I’m glad I did.
Hockley, Birmingham:
We wandered in for lunch on a wet Sunday. First impressions were annoying; we’d barely got through the door when we were pounced on by staff twice in a minute.
Do you want food or just drinks?
We ended up saying “just drinks” to get rid of them, found a seat, ordered drinks and looked at the menu in peace.
In the end, it was fine. The drinks weren’t cheap, nor was the food, but this is poncy Hockley now and both were very good. It’s a little bit trendy bar, but had a nice, relaxed vibe this Suday lunchtime.
Hockley, Birmingham:
Sister pub to The Lord Clifden, so part of the Urban Art Bar Group. Don’t let the group name put you off, I was prepared to hate the Lord Clifden, expecting hipster wankery, and was proved wrong, and if anything The Red Lion was better still on that front, with just ordinary punters. Closer to the heart of the Jewellery Quarter, it’s a short walk from the Chamberlain Clock at Warstone Lane/Vyse St.
It’s very nice. Traditional inside- the art in Urban Art is minimal, thankfully- decent beer (Bathams when I called), friendly staff, food that looked and smelt good, though I didn’t eat. Not cheap, but that’s the price we pay for Hockley’s trendiness, I suppose. There’s 2 rooms downstairs, and apparently another upstairs.
Hockley, Birmingham:
What a fine pub. Real gem, in an industrial street on the Hockley/Handsworth border, this pub is a 1905 rebuild, and keeps it’s traditional feel. There’s a good choice of great ales, including Bathams, good food at a great price, friendly staff, and traditional pub atmosphere- the open fires are gas, but still pleasant. An absolute delight, and only a short walk from the Metro, which happily was only broken north of Priestfield.
If visiting, check the opening times first.
Hockley:
I’m not often in church, but…
Just down the road from The Lord Clifden, another pleasant surprise. If you read the website:
Come and kneel at the high altar of culinary decadence. Nestled in the heart of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, sits a pub with a twist
You might start to think, that along with the location (Hockley is a bit too hipster, really) that you’re in for full-on wankery. but it’s actually very pleasant. Odd decoration- a mix of modern, 50’s Americana, and traditional, but here it works. Everards beer, in good condition, and, so I’m informed, decent wine too. Food looks interesting too, and the staff were pleasant. I’d argue about “heart of the jewellery quarter”, if I’m being picky, as that’s Vyse St for me, but it’s a nice pub.
Hockley, Birmingham:
I was ready to hate this, but thought one of my companions might like it, as she has a less grotty taste in pubs than I do. Hockley can be a bit of a game these days, what with The Rose Villa Tavern, and the increasing ‘cool’ of the area, so with that and the company that owns this (and its sister pub, The Red Lion, making a chain of 2) calling itself Urban Art Bar Group [shudder], I was ready for it to be replete with bell end hipsters (is there any other sort?).
Actually, I was pleasantly surprised. Inside, it looks like a pub. An actual pub. OK, there’s art on the walls, but it actually looks OK. The staff were friendly, efficient, and normal. The food was good, the ale was excellent (as per the reputation), and the music wasn’t some dreadful shite no-one would ever listen to for pleasure, and not so loud we couldn’t talk. The prices weren’t too bad either. There’s a big outside smoking shelter for those of you that might want it- with a TV (so we can get the two objectionable things in one place! (edit: there’s a TV in the bar too, but not the lounge)).
Best of all, the customers were normal too.
Hockley, Birmingham:
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The Rose Villa Tavern could be fantastic. Note: Could be.
It’s smack in the middle of the Jewellery quarter, on the corner of Warstone Lane & Vyse St. It’s near the Metro/Rail station, and while the outside isn’t execeptional, the inside has some glorious stained glass and tiles. It serves great beer too.
The downside? Well, it’s got a bit of the Fighting Cocks about it. Trying soooo hard to be ‘urban’ and hip, with interior ‘design’ fighting the original features rather than complementing, and full of people desperately trying to be cool too. Beer was fine, staff OK, but atmosphere was lacking, unless you’re cool, which I’m not. It’s owners also own the Victoria and the Jekyll and Hyde, apparently.
Hockley, Birmingham:
A combination shopping and small pub-crawl saw us wandering through Birmingham, after a brief stop at the OCs we headed for the Jewellery Quarter, and were happy to stumble accross the Brown Lion. Outside, it’s traditional-looking, inside it’s tidy and clean, if a little sparse and stripped. Top choice of real ale (it’s the brewery tap for the Two Towers Brewery, execleent staff, and good food. When we arrived it was full of other CAMRA members seemingly doing the Hockley pub crawl.