Best Bars in Birmingham
There's a reason why Birmingham is classed as the UK's second most happening city and we think some of these great bars may just be the reason. From tiki bars and tasty cocktail retreats, to buzzing students nights and champagne bubbles on top of spectacular rooftop bars, Birmingham has a whole host of weird and wonderful bars that suit the city's vibrant atmosphere. Check out our carefully crafted list of Birmingham's best bars.
Last updated on 15th June 2017
Miniature bathtub Gins, cocktails washed down in watering cans and botanical garnishes make The Jekyll & Hyde a vintage wonderland of period inspired tipples and Victorian charm. Specialists in cocktail chemistry, The Jekyll and Hyde is a traditional punter pub-cum-Gin laced emporium - whatever your poison, this bar of many faces satisfies them all.
One of our favourite watering holes in Birmingham, it has to be said that The Rose Villa Tavern does charming pub, traditional boozer and Victorian vintage all in one perfect swoop. Decked out with leather armchairs, original window features and everything from cocktails to craft beers, she's a certified beauty when it comes to kicking back with a drink, and maybe even enjoying a quiz.
Cool, casual and social as heck, Buffalo and Rye makes it into our round up of Birmingham's top bars thanks to its big love for cocktails and its American Diner style get up. These guys seem to have perfected the boozy brunch, the laid-back lunch and the go-all-out dinner, but most of all they know how to craft some hella punchy draanks.
One of the city's only tiki-bars and voted as one of the top 50 bars in the UK by the Independent, Island Bar is renowned on the Birmingham bar scene for its creative cocktails and quirky decor. Packed every Saturday night in Birmingham, Island Bar dazzles with its exotic, unique charm, whisking you away for a summer holiday in the middle of the midlands.
It’s your birthday and you love beer – these are two facts that can finally be fused together thanks to the Birmingham Bierkeller. Get all of your friends down onto their long benches as you are all served by staff kitted out in traditional clothing, all while you sip some lovely steins of beer. Every birthday needs a good soundtrack too, so luckily you’ve got an Oompah band to keep everyone entertained.
Based in Birmingham's Mailbox complex and accessible only through a long, spiralling staircase, the bar atop Harvey Nicholas offers its visitors a cosy, sleek spot to unwind in. Their team of mixologists have a number of quirky, creative recipes up their sleeves. But if a cocktail isn't what you fancy, their lists of craft beers, wines and spirits are sure to hit the spot. Sit back, relax and watch the hours drift by in one of Birmingham's top bars.
The Distillery is a gin lover’s paradise. Sitting prettily on the canal, they serve up a wide variety of wonderful gins and gin cocktails, as well as craft beer and a food menu created only the best quality ingredients. We’re talking robata grill food and wood-fire pizza – which all can be eaten on their canalside terrace once it’s hot. Perfect!
Champions of cocktails and good times, Be At One land in Birmingham with a bang. The Picadilly Arcade gets a new spruce of life and some late night partying as a licence until 3am makes this place a night out priority. With a pretty un-beatable happy hour and some of the best cocktails going, Be At One have some serious game.
Dive down to Digbeth for a character-crammed, atmospheric drinking den that delivers the ultimate in old-school. Going back to the iconic, bygone decades of the 60s, 70s and 80s, The Night Owl guarantees retro grooves as you kick your dancing shoes to an eclectic array of symphonic Northern Soul sounds, Motown melodies and disco beats, as well as a rhythmic, move-your-feet mix of reggae & ska.
Stepping into the Edgbaston feels like you're discovering the parlour of a rich chocolatier. A cocktail lounge nestled in an opulent boutique hotel, The Edgbaston is defined by its luxuriant surroundings of dark chocolate and gold tones with leather upholstery and down-lighting, undoubtedly making for an unbelievable atmosphere. Sup on divine drinks and some of the most inventive concoctions around one of the quirkier bars in Birmingham.
There's no place for vertigo at this stunning rooftop bar in Birmingham. Overlooking the city's awe inspiring skyline, you'll be doused in champagne finery thanks to Marco Pierre White's specially crafted drinks menu. As one of the City's most premium locations, tuck in to Michelin star foods and take in the top class views at this incredible space in the sky.
A secret botanical retreat in the very heart of the city, The Lost and Found is a bar oozing quirks with a vintage persuasion. Themed around Victorian explorer Hettie G. Watson, The Lost and Found serve up phenomenal tailor made cocktails and even boast a secret bar hidden amongst their wonderful decorations and vintage antiques...
Part of popular restaurant Purnell's, Ginger's is an upmarket cocktail bar in Birmingham, popular with the after work crowd. Boasting some of the city's best trained bartenders, mixology is at the heart of the Ginger's philosophy with custom cocktails and quirky treats made to order. Ask for a cocktail based on your favourite dinner dish and see what they come up with at this unique Birmingham spot.
A pub, on the list of best bars in Birmingham? You betcha. The Prince of Wales harbours a few great secrets and we're here to let you know what they are! Whilst a seemingly traditional bar out front boasting local ales and live music, The POW is a hubbub of creative activity thanks to its cigar shed, wine bar and Motiki tiki-bar brimming with bamboo, sand floors and some of the best quirky cocktails in Birmingham.
Boasted as one of the glitziest basement bars in Birmingham, The Vaults is a stylish and contemporary space found lurking below the city's iconic Jewellery Quarter. Brimming with brick-clad VIP spaces, candle-lit dining tables, a cracking selection of classic cocktails and an exotic tapas menu, The Vaults is a unique and eclectic space in the heart of the city.
Jools Holland certainly made his mark on the city when he cultivated The Jam House. A live music venue in Birmingham, The Jam House is a mecca for all things sound. Boasting a balcony bar overlooking the entire venue, you can savour in fine wines and grub to the awesome acoustics that The Jam House has to offer.
A self confessed 'urban neighbourhood kitchen', Gas Street Social is a neat little watering hole propping up informal dining, industrial styled interiors, and a cocktail philosophy that favours a flare for theatrics and artisan mixology. As somewhere that's undeniably cool, relaxed and a great environment to catch up with friends in, it'll offer everything you need for an amazing night out in Birmingham.
Moving on to the Colmore District we have The Bureau. Taking on the striking architecture of it's historic building, The Bureau totes marble topped bars and statement columns with mahogany leather booths and gorgeous high ceilings. Conjuring the bygone eras of sophisticated supping and bespoke cocktails, this quaint spot offers revellers a great night out in Birmingham.
