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Disappointment of the week with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Stable
I'd honestly thought that this chain of cider and pizza bar/restaurants had bitten the dust. However, the Birmingham branch is still alive and kicking. In fact, it was very busy on our Saturday lunchtime visit. Most customers were there for the food, but staff soon managed to find us a table.
Real ale is no longer served, but there is naturally a good range of ciders. Be careful though. Table service is assumed and not all available ciders are shown on the printed menus handed out.
The full range of real ciders was Lilley's Mango Cider, Broadway Press Ice Cyder, Cockeyed Mad Jack, Hunt's Hazy Dazy, Haywood Farm Medium, Abrahall's Slack Alice & Lily the Pink & Cotswold Cider Company Freak Show & Yellow Hammer. A number of other ciders were on draft. I chose Sandford Orchards Rapscallion.
Being a cider drinker, I quite like these places. For a beer drinker however, there is much less of a choice. Interiors of these establishments are also a little boring with long bench seating that is shared with other customers, similar to a Wagamama's. It's an interesting proposition, but not necessarily one for the discerning pub goer.
On 29th September 2021
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Stable
Modern bar / restaurant with quite a bright interior benefiting from full-height windows and effective lighting. Furniture is mostly long tables arranged in rows, but there is a slightly less regimented arrangement at the far end. Industrial ventilation above. Also has a pavement area out front. Quite a small bar, given the size of the place, but in addition to Sadler's Green Man (£4.00) from one of two handpumps there are 20 keg taps and 12 boxed ciders on the bar-back.
On 15th April 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Stable
If you like cider and counting hundreds of pendant lamps hanging from the ceiling with red filaments giving the space an urban glow, then this is the place for you. There was a nice aroma of pizza and pies when we visited, which was very tempting. The young barmaid was friendly and upbeat and was very knowledgeable about the bar's ciders and beers. Two handpumps on our visit, one turned back and one serving Fullers Jack Frost.
On 12th January 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Stable
Part of a small chain of bars that have opened around the South of England, this large modern venue becomes their northernmost bar so far. Located just a couple of minutes from New Street station, in an area with a number of trendy bars and restaurants, this place is set inside a very wide, but fairly shallow unit. You enter at the right hand end of the building, into a very long bare boarded room with large shop windows along the front wall. Canteen style bench seating runs in rows from front to back for the entire length of the pub, broken only by one or two shorter tables at the far left end. A few brick and half-tiled pillars break the space up to a degree, but the place still feels pretty big and chaotic, not helped by the music that was playing and the poor acoustics, which seemed to amplify the din within. There is an open kitchen on the rear wall close to the entrance and just beyond this you'll find a fairly short stretch of servery with unattractive wooden planks forming the counter and bar back. Various cider taps protrude from the bar back, which has a series of cubby holes built into it for storing boxes of cider. Décor is very minimal, with one neon sign on the end wall being the high point and lots of naked light bulbs and exposed wires running around the place. An area near the entrance was set up for live music, probably in the form of a solo performer rather than a full band, and there are a few benches out on the pavement from which you can admire the train station's new shiny façade.
The focus of this chain is cider and according to the pub's promotional material, there are over 80 different varieties available here in draught, box or bottle form. Cider tasting boards, which allow you to sample 5 different ciders in third pint measures, seemed to be very popular, with lots of paddles full of murky thirds criss-crossing the room. The staff were very polite and seemed to be the font of all knowledge where cider tasting was concerned. Two ales can be found on handpull at the bar - these were Fullers Oliver's Island and Gales Seafarers on this particular visit. I'd had a bad experience trying the ale in their Bristol branch, but thought I'd give them the benefit of the doubt and try the Oliver's Island here, but I wish I hadn't, as it was pretty terrible - I'll try the cider next time. Food is available from a pizza and pie based menu.
I quite like the idea behind this chain, but I've found the execution lacking somewhat in both venues I've now visited. I thought this place was lively enough, but devoid of any character and not helped by a really poor pint. Cider drinkers will no doubt love it, but for me it doesn't really work and with stronger options nearby, I can't see me returning.
On 20th May 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Stable
Nice refurb of former hairdressers & on the end of the revitalised John Bright Street, this has a bit of a beer keller feel with long wooden benches and tables, though there are some window perches further in. Its mainly food based, focussing on Pizza & Pies, but with the added attraction of ciders/perrys as well as one real ale from Fullers & a little craft, so crosses the divide and you can go in for just a drink. There are numorous apple/pear produce served from box bags or bottle.
A nice fit for the area.
On 18th February 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Delboy 20 left this review about The Stable
Pizza, Pies and Cider. 80 varieties of Cider available.
On 7th January 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1656 recommendations about 1556 pubs]