The Sly Old Fox, Birmingham

Two room victorian boozer as described in previous reviews , a large TV in the back room was showing Sky Sports news . A good mixture of friendly customers and the service was good . Plenty of handpulls around but most had the clips reversed and only one beer on GK IPA , so i had a JD Honey instead . Its a friendly enough pub and OK for a quick visit but they need to sort the beer out .

two rooms in Victorian style, some of the fittings looking original, the stained glass, lincrusta and the counters in particular. Furnished in the same style with cast iron base tables, stools and bench seating. The back room is decorated with theatrical posters and photos of the stars who may have appeared across the road. Otherwise normal pub fittings of games machines, big screens and so on. There's a good city centre pubby feel to the place. Beers were from regionals plus micros, with 6 pulls in the back and 4 in the front plus one with cider, Greene King and St Austell Tribute appear to be the regulars. The beer quality was OK but not outstanding.

The pub is still basically as described below in my original review below of March 2010, but it is starting to look a bit worn and tired in places. Beers on when I called in last week were St Austells Tribute and Morlands Speckled Hen ( which appear to be the regulars ) plus Church End Fruit Juice and a beer called Priesnitz Plzen from The Malvern Hills Brewery. The pub is listed in the 2013 CAMRA Good Beer Guide. For some unaccountable reason, a notice telling us that toilets are for customers use only is on the inside of the entrance door, not the outside as you would expect. A surfeit of notices remind us that we’re on CCTV and that “acts of vandalism will be caught on camera”. Despite describing itself as a Theatre Bar, it seems to attract a broad mix of customers, with those in their Sunday best going to a show at the Hippodrome over the road mixing freely with the hoi polloi. I dare say that I may revisit, but it’s not one of my favourite Birmingham pubs. Original review – March 2010 Occupying a prominent street corner position opposite The Hippodrome Theatre and on the fringes of the Chinese Quarter. From the outside, we learn that the pub was established in 1891. The U shaped bar serves two distinct and separate areas - a basic bare boarded front bar and a larger carpeted lounge area with a mixture of traditional seating and sofas. There's some impressive columns and stained glass leaded windows depicting the fox motif. Not surprisingly, framed theatrical posters advertising past performances are plentiful. Beers on were Tribute - £ 2.75p - plus Beartown Bearly and Slaters The Craic, which I presume was a beer brewed specifically for the forthcoming St Patricks Day, for which the pub was gearing up. There's other pumps in the lounge bar, but these didn't seem to be in use on my visit. The pub is a CAMRA GBG regular. This is a pleasant enough pub, but the music from the juke box was over loud and, although it's on the way to The Lamp Tavern, I might pass this one by next time

Always worth a look in as it has some interesting guest ales. It has a good upbeat feel about it, and is very handy for a pre theatre beaverage. Enjoyed a well kept Titanic English Glory.

A bar aimed fairly squarely at the theatre-goers and people going to the Symphony Hall. The exterior is pretty and there are some very nice stained glass and leaded windows. The interior has two bars. The front bar is quite Spartan compared to the carpeted rear bar; in both bars the walls are covered with theatre posters. There are a large number of handpumps but not many were actually in use on my visit, I think there were four beers on with a couple of interesting guest ales. Worth a visit if nearby but not on the ‘must-do’ list, though its position and set-up would make it more of destination on a sunny day, I think.

Actually called the Old Fox Theatre Bar, its a strange one this, sometimes it can be good, sometimes seems to have a bit of a desperate feel. Very similar in this respect to the Wetherspooned Dragon next door, though usually if one is bad, the other is good! Perhaps it also depends on what time of day you go. Described as a theatre bar, it serves the same purpose here to the Hippo as the Victoria does to the Alex, acting as a pre-theatre watering hole and there are theatre posters on the walls. Its also on the edge of the Chinese and Gay Quarters, so, maybe, despite the emphasis on the theatre stuff, perhaps it is hard to find a true identity? Its a traditional style boozer, with two separate areas, the smaller bar on the corner front and a larger lounge. Its not over comfortable, but it is, when on form, a fine drinking pub that offers enough, especially at this end of town. Certainly on my visit, on this occasion , it was very pleasant and the beer was on form & was a nice relaxing place to have a drink. 4 real ales, including 2 gueats - Wentworth Chilli and Beartown Bearskinful.