Hare & Hounds, Sutton Coldfield

Large sizzling pub which seemed popular. No ale on so I went for a Guinness. Usual menu - It's a bit too close to the local sewage farm for me to fancy a meal - I certainly wouldn't sit out the front eating on a hot day!

Substantial Sizzling roadhouse, with a partly opened-out interior featuring various seating / dining areas but rather samey semi-modern furniture and decor throughout. Also has a good number of patio tables out at the front that were catching the early evening sun when I stopped by. Fuzzy Ed's Funhouse is also available to keep boisterous young children busy. Standard menus and little doing on the real ale front, with just Doom Bar (£3.05) available from one of the three handpumps.

A detached pub and eatery, with patio areas and Fuzzy Ed's children's playhouse. The pub looks 1930s, but is in a Tudor-style, with undressed brick, moulded stome window and door frames and cream plastered, with fake beam front gables and dormer windows. The interior is an open plan rough L-shaped room, partitioned with wood panel and near empty bookcases with a few stones and vases on them in Ember Inns style. The decor is chocolate and cream, along with a bit of patterned wallpaper. The place is laid out for food, with comfy seats along with the usual chairs - with a budget menu - i didn't eat so can't comment on that, but the chocolate grabbing machine indicates it is a family place (or they tease people on diets). The service was OK, the clientele a mix, but it was quiet (afternoon) - i just went in to catch the last few mins of the cricket, which was on - silently. The music was general stuff at a decent level and the pictures on the walls, strange photos of either the desert, or the tred on someone's shoe - arty stuff in other words. Beer; tap stuff with Murphy's Stout, The one real ale handpull had it's badge turned around. I think i got half a Guinness. Family place - it is obvious to all and really that is who should use it. Another place i frequented in the 80s for a short while - much changed!