Amber Tavern, Birmingham

Nothing special, as you would expect from a Sizzling chain pub eatery, but the curved single-storey front extension certainly catches the eye from the Hagley Road. Inside, the semi-modern furniture and decor is as dull and corporate as one would expect, but there is a large front patio garden for the ongoing good weather. Mind you, all three handpumps were thankfully operational, drawing Doom Bar, Tribute (£2.90) and Ghost Ship.

Official site of Amber Tavern - www.sizzlingpubs.co.uk

Official site of Amber Tavern - www.sizzlingpubs.co.uk

Large roadside 'Sizzling' pub, on busy road junction. For a chain pub I was a bit surprised how tatty it was outside and it is need aof a good painting. Its smarter inside with a 50p shape central bar with areas of each side, giving a slightly interesting shape. However, thats as far as the interest goes really as its a chain pub by numbers and there is little else to make it stick out. But its smart and tidy inside, the sort of place you may go if you wanted a neutral venue where grandma, the parents & the kids wanted to go for a meal, or if you simply liked the Sizzling menu. 3 real ales - Banks Bitter, Pedigree and EPA of average quality.