The Briar Rose (JD Wetherspoon), Birmingham

A stone and glass frontage, terraced, ‘Spoons pub and eatery, which also offers accommodation upstairs. The interior is in fact one long room, set out, in typical ‘Spoons fashion for eating, but the far end opens out a little wider for diners. The serving bar to the left and half way up the room on entry. The decor is a mix of white, mustard and green, with some wood panel and a strange tiger striped design around the serving bar. There are a few pictures and some art dotted about and an interesting safe outside the toilets (downstairs) from when the building was a bank (Bennett’s Hill was once the banking/building society road in Brum). There was no music and i didn’t see a TV, even a silent one. The service was fine, considering the usual lack of numbers and the place being rammed out with the usual mixed Spoonsy crowd. I have eaten here twice and the food was fine on both occasions, then i usually chose things that can’t be fouled up too easily. Beer; tap stuff, with the usual Abbotts and Ruddles on handpull, along with several others depending on availability. Usual up and down quality of beer. It is a Spoons, so you know what you will generally get , but this is one of the better ones in my opinion.

On our visit there were three Warwickshire Brewery ales on and the two we tried were in good condition. There was a good cross section of people both young and old in here for a Friday night. Service was also pretty slick for a busy Wetherspoons. Accommodation is also very good.

I've always thought that this was one of the better JDW pubs and this visit hasn't changed my mind. Nicely furnished with some deep leather sofa's and chairs along with the normal dining table style ones. Always has a couple of decent and unusual beers on alongside the usual suspects. This time it was Holdens Lambswool, which was very tasty. I quite like it in here.

This is one of the best Wetherspoons around for beer choice. Always pop in when we come out of the Wellington as you never know what you might find. Enjoyed Sadlers 1900 Original and Lymestone Ein Stein this visit.

Slightly better than Square Peg. More relaxed atmosphere and orange/ black theme running around the pub. Once voted best toilets in England few years ago. Gets very busy around lunchtime so best go in the morning. Just off main shopping street. Around 8 real ales on ale and enjoyed each visit.

This is slightly better than the usual, and other Birmingham Wetherspoons. Its comfortable and the service, which went really down hill a few years after opening has improved. Beer quality is good and I'm hopeful because I like this one.

Official page of The Briar Rose - www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk

Official page of The Briar Rose - www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk

Typical Weatherspoons house though the loos are downstairs rather than the normal up. Bog standard beer (it used to be better), bog standard food, poor service. Popular as it is in the city centre just off New St. Metered car parking not much of that. 5 mins from New St Station.