The Bartons Arms, Birmingham

Called in last week and enjoyed the Oakham Asylum and guest beer Sadlers Magic Miles. Love walking round looking at the beautiful tiling in the rooms. Thai food popular, and the back room is mainly used as a restaurant. It was great to see all tables in the bar area occupied as usually there are very few people in when I call. Beer quality improving again. 5 Oakham and 1 guest beer available.

Wonderful pub and was built in 1901. Oakham owned and sells full range of Oakham ales. You can eat Thai in next room. The best thing about this pub is very beautiful staircase with Minton tiles around the room. Only problem is the location. It is miles away from City Centre. However you can catch either 7 or 907 which will drop you off right outside the pub.

A fantastic c1900, brick and moulded stone, detached corner pub, in mock Jacobean style. The interior has three rooms, two of which are more used for the Thai restaurant that dwells within. The bar room curves around the V-shaped bar. The decor is composed of multi-coloured ceramic tiles; red, green, white, yellow - a bit garish, yet wonerful at the same time. There is a staircase worthy of grander buildings. The area may be a little dodgy, but the surroundings for drinking are a pleasure. There are nice fire places and stained glass. The service was great on our last visit and we managed to time the visit during the time that the Villa game was on, so it was quieter. The clientele are mixed between the footy crowd and local Brummies. Beer; tap stuff with Oakham's White Dwarf, Inferno, Bishop's Farewell, JHB, Ubu Purity Gold, ABC Dark MILD(fine) and Sporting Gold, as well as an excellent Hobson's MILD. Superb place always worthy of a visit, in fact you will kick yourself for not going

A JHB pub, this place has four of their ales on plus a guest most of the time, and has one of the largest selections of imported bottled beers in the country. Yes, the location could be better, and yes, parking is a problem, but this is a true gem. With the exception of Sunday nights, the rear half of the bar, kept separate from the "business" end, is a decent Thai restaurant. Well worth the trip, even if it's only to see the Grade II listed building.

On the ground floor of what used to be Lewis's Department Store at corner of Corporation St & Bull St. Within walking distance of all 3 of Brums Railway stations. Large Weatherspoons house with bouncers. Also generally has a gauntlet to nicotine junkies at the main entrance. Drink there occasionally when waiting to meet friends in the city, then move on to other places which doesn't say lot for the place does it! Gets crowded throughout the day, possibly due to its location.

This is a gem of a building, a wonderful example of Victorian architecture and the art of ceramics. Unfortunately for this place a good pub is much more than just a building. Except for the bottled Belgian beers on offer and the surroundings it has nothing, including atmosphere, to offer the serious drinker. The Oakham beers are grossly overrated. It also suffers from being in one of, if not the, most violent parts of Brum (which in general is a relatively peaceful city). Located near Lozells on the Walsall road north of the city centre it is best visited (if at all) by either bus or taxi. Other than the architecture the place is sterile.