Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Bartons Arms, Birmingham
Aston
Postal town: Birmingham
B6 4UP
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 9 of 10) see review guidelines
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Bartons Arms
Large and very imposing building - left somewhat marooned by various road and urban regeneration projects of dubious merit - dominated by a grand clock tower. However, a lack of distinction is certainly not something you could say about the interior which is widely held as being one of the most remarkable in the country. The tilework and stained glass are fantastic survivors from the late Victorian period when it was built by Mitchell and Butlers in 1901 as their flagship house. On this first revisit since reopening, I found the expected Oakham Citra plus a brace from Green Duck - Supremacy and the seasonal Duck the Halls (£4.70) available from the bank of three handpumps at the front (with the other six around the island bar counter unused). Thankfully (mostly) untouched over the years, so let's hope that it is kept that way so that future generations can make the effort to get out of Birmingham city centre and marvel at this must-visit pub.
On 7th December 2024
- rating: 9
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]
Moby Duck left this review about The Bartons Arms
Re-opening delayed due to severe flooding.
On 24th August 2024
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2151 recommendations about 2118 pubs]
Delboy 20 left this review about The Bartons Arms
Reopens this weekend. Just in time for the first home game!
On 20th August 2024
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1821 recommendations about 1692 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Bartons Arms
I doubt there’s anything left to say about the Barton’s Arms, one of the venues on the very first Pubs Galore pub crawl. Very few serious pubmen and women will not be familiar with this Victorian extravaganza of wood, glass and particularly tiling. Don’t just stay in one of the downstairs rooms, explore the details of this fantastic pub. Two from Oakham on my visit, Citra and JHB plus a beer from Fixed Wheel “The Manx Missile”. A national treasure.
On 10th July 2023
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3599 recommendations about 3279 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Bartons Arms
A very impressive building inside and out and certainly worth the bus trip out from the city centre, I tend to prefer smaller compact pubs but the interior as well as the beer selection as mentioned in the October reviews makes for a pub well worth returning to.
On 28th November 2021
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2151 recommendations about 2118 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Bartons Arms
Well, they don’t make them like this anymore.
It’s quite frightening to think we almost lost this late Victorian masterpiece some 20 years ago. The interior is so good that you would even enjoy drinking a pint of John Smiths smooth crap in here. The fact that it is owned by Oakhams and there is a decent guest ale policy almost makes this the perfect drinking experience.
It’s almost sacrilege to not have an Oakham ale after how they have looked after the place for the last 18 years, but I went for the Froth Blowers Riverside Stout and very good it was too.
On 23rd November 2021
- rating: 10
[User has posted 2236 recommendations about 2098 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Bartons Arms
Grade II*-listed and featuring on CAMRA's list of pubs with historic interiors - of National Importance - this is one of our most opulent pubs, with probably the most stunning tilework I've ever seen, pictures of which can be seen on CAMRA's site. The interior is very large indeed, meaning that the smell of Thai food didn't intrude.
I plumped for an Oakham White Dwarf at £2.00 a half which was as good as any drink had on the day.
This isn't in the best location, but is a must-visit if in town.
On 19th October 2021
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2208 recommendations about 2165 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Bartons Arms
A palatial showpiece Victorian pub, still as described below and on various websites including their own. Sitting in the sun streaming through the large windows in the midst of such classical pub architecture was a very pleasant experience, quite apart from the excellent beer (I went for a well-conditioned brew from Frothblowers on this occasion) and a very tasty Thai sausage! Nowadays it is not in the most exciting of surroundings but it is definitely worth the trip out of town.
On 16th October 2021
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3641 recommendations about 3576 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Bartons Arms
This fantastic-looking pub has been on my radar since purchasing Camra's real heritage pubs guide to the Midlands and my visit to Birmingham to do a Digbeth crawl provided me with an opportunity. It's easily reached from the city centre by the frequent 51 bus service (my Plus Bus ticket obtained with my train tickets made the journey a cheap one, too). The pub is well described below and in the Camra publication (and website) referred to, so I'll concentrate on the beer. There are numerous hand pumps scattered around the large central bar, most of the beers being from Oakham. My half of Bishops Farewell was in good nick, but not the best I've ever had. Nevertheless, it was a pleasure to be here and I hope to get the opportunity for a return visit before too long.
Date of visit: 11th July 2018
On 22nd October 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 4273 recommendations about 3935 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Bartons Arms
Nominated on its own facebook entry as Birmingham's best kept secret.
I'd heard about it but this was my first visit.
A terrifying urban walk from the CIty Centre and met with an impressive victorian classic exterior. But its the inside where all the beauty is. Simply stunning tiled interior with plush red carpets leading to snob screen bars, an opulent staircase, tiling and stained glass windows.
Beer festival on - in addition to the Oakham regulars. Thai food smelled wonderful.
Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2r8zacD
On 29th April 2018
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1563 recommendations about 1543 pubs]