Metro Bar, Birmingham

Upmarket 'Bar & Grill' with various seating and dining areas housed in an elongated space that is much more extensive than the relatively narrow red-brick façade would suggest. Light decor but subdued lighting, with background music and modern furniture throughout. Two banks of three handpumps on the counter, with Greene King IPA, Tribute and Purity Pure Gold (£3.75) available when I visited.

This is a terraced restaurant and bar with a very small patio area at the front. Thie building is mainly in brick, with moulded stone around the projecting bow windows that give a mock-Tudor look. The interior is an elbow shaped room in two parts. You enter into the bar area, with the long slightly art-deco style serving bar on the left. The deor is sky blue walls, with a white ceiling and with a wood floor. There are copper support columns and there is an interesting collection of cartoon style pictures on the walls, with comfy chairs to sit at the candled tables. A mirrored turn at the elbow takes you into a modern restaurant area. The area is in white, with wood floor, comfy chairs and arty art pictures on the walls. I didn't eat here so can't comment on the food. There was no TV that i saw and the background music was charty but at a decent level. The service was good and there was a small but mixed clientele. Beer; usual tap stuff with Doombar, UBU Purity Gold and a very good Enville White on handpull. It does a nice pint of Enville White, but it ultimately has a plush restauranty, suit and champers feel that makes me want to shout out in broadest Brummie 'd'yam do ham cobs, mate?'

This one suprised me as I didn't expect to see much in the way of real ale in this wine bar style pub, but was pleasantly suprised. 2 banks of 3 handpulls with the same 3 beers on, Silhill 4.0 per cent, Rurity Gold and Enville White. Really well served from a very clean and tidy bar. Loved the pictures on the wall, and had a wander round to read the captions on them, and got a suprise when I saw the large restaurant area round the back with a well mirrored ramp. Champagne can be nought by the glass here for £7 and it looks as though a lot of business deals could be made round the comfy seating.