Bar + Block Steakhouse Birmingham (Exchange Square)

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Reviews

1. Chloe Peskett ★★☆☆☆

   Came here on a weekend trip to Birmingham. Didn't realise at the time that this restaurant is connected to the Premier Inn hotel. Seemed that those staying at the hotel were made priority and were seen to a lot quicker than ourselves. Took about 15 minutes until a member of staff came to take our drink order. There was only 3 other tables seated at this point. A further 10 minutes passed then we placed our starter and main order and enquired where our drinks were. A few moments later the waitress returned asking what our drinks were again as the bar staff "lost the ticket" (may I add we could see the bar from our table, so where it could have got lost i don't understand). We told her our drinks again. Moments later she returned again, apologising that the butchers block meal was unavailable as they had no beef short rib. I changed my order to the surf and turf block instead (which was £8 more!) The drinks arrived, no problems there other than the wait. Starters arrived about 10 minutes later. Rarebit crumpet lovely, tad too much onion overpowering the taste of the meat. Sweet potato fries all overdone, with no dip either- for £8 I expected better. Held out hope for the main course. Approximately 25 minutes later it arrived. Surf and turf block lovely, steak large, cooked well with prawns aplenty. However, it looked a bit sparse on the plate, when I glanced at the menu I realise I should have been given the option of a side, which I was not asked for at the time of ordering. I called over the waitress and enquired about this. She simply said "you didn't mention a side so I assumed you didn't want one" I asked if some mushrooms could be cooked for me as I would have chosen them given the option. She gladly obliged and asked the kitchen to do this, bringing them over about 5 minutes later. I had no complaints about the quality of my food. My partners meal, however, the block steak sampler, could have been mistaken for a kids meal. He did originally ask if one of the cuts of meat could be upgraded by 2oz, like it can if you have steak on it's own. He was told they are all cut ready to size so could not be done. When they came out they could pass for meatballs they were so small, eaten in 2 bites each, with no differentiation between the types of steak. 4 onion rings and a small pot of chips accompanied this, for £35- rip off I say. We didn't bother with pudding as we were already at £100 and didn't want to pay any more for a long wait and small portions. Would not recommend eating here unless you like overpriced food and slow service.

   almost 5 months ago
2. Stacey Coxall ★★★★☆

   Came for lunch which was £13.95 for two courses. Had steak and beef dripping chips for my main and cookie dough for dessert. My dad had the same main and sticky toffee pudding for dessert. It was very quiet when we came but I'm not surprised for a restaurant thats part of a hotel in a city centre full of loads of eateries - I imagine breakfast is the busiest time! The service was on the slow side, felt like we were forgotten about at one point. The staff seemed friendly enough. Thought the drinks were on the expensive side. Would visit again, especially for the lunch time menu which I thought was great value!

   almost 6 months ago
3. Waanasim Deeh ★★★★★

   Breakfast lovely and delicious as always thanks to Gabby & Eliza, the servers Chin and Veronica and Management Dan. Dinner last night yummy, Thanks to Aron, Andel & Zruf (not sure how to spell his name lol) Service great from Aron and Plato and Alice, Shout out to the whole team! Not forgetting Jenny, Patrick and Greg 10/10

   almost 7 months ago

1. Paul Phipps ★★★★☆

   Tap beers and bottles available. Staff were friendly and polite. Good size patio area at the front of the premises. Nicely decorated inside with good seating. Enjoyed my visit.

   almost 7 months ago
2. Sophie Brunt ★☆☆☆☆

   We were very disappointed with our evening meal at Bar + Block during a weekend trip to Birmingham. Having chosen this restaurant due to its convenient location next to our hotel, we were looking forward to a quality steak dinner and opted for the most expensive sharing platter on the menu — the Chateaubriand. Unfortunately, the experience fell well short of expectations from the outset. After being seated, we waited approximately 25 minutes before a member of staff approached our table. During this time, it was evident that the two wait staff on duty were disengaged and inattentive. At one point, a gentleman at a nearby table had to raise his voice across the restaurant simply to place an order, as the staff were standing in the middle of the dining area chatting. When our food eventually arrived — having been left sitting at the pass for several minutes — the steak itself was decent. However, the accompanying sides were deeply disappointing. The ‘beef dripping triple-cooked chips’ were lukewarm, under-seasoned, and bore more resemblance to oven chips than anything freshly prepared. The onion rings were similarly underwhelming: hard, flavourless, and served at a tepid temperature. The peppercorn sauce, served in a very small portion, lacked any real depth of flavour. The vegetables were acceptable, but nothing noteworthy. In an effort to salvage the evening, we decided to try dessert. Sadly, this too was underwhelming. The burnt Basque cheesecake had an unpleasant gritty texture and was slimy, while the tiramisu was very basic — palatable, but served without even a dusting of cocoa on top, which felt like a careless oversight. While these issues may seem minor in isolation, they collectively contributed to a frustrating experience, particularly given the cost of the meal and our intention to treat ourselves. It's disheartening to spend hard-earned money on what was meant to be a special dinner, only to leave feeling disappointed. For clarity, this review pertains solely to the evening meal. The breakfast provided the next morning was lovely and met expectations.

   almost 9 months ago
3. Ann Booker ★★★★★

   Nice place, good food. Great service by Chay.

   almost 2 years ago

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