Comments on: Review: Island Bar, Birmingham

By: Lyndsey Michaels

Lyndsey Michaels — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 19:50:50 +0000

I like Island Bar. Don’t get there nearly often enough but it’s my bar of choice for an after work cocktail or seven. I like the rough n ready atmosphere – a liking for cocktails doesn’t necessarily need to equal being a flashy git : )

And it’s nicely away from the main drinking areas yet also very near several stops for my bus home, no matter which way the wind blows me when I stagger out.

Yes, I like pina coladas…

By: Nic

Nic — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:48:47 +0000

For me Island Bar has been, and continues to be, instrumental in Brum city centre getting it’s groove back. Slightly swanky more expensive cocktail bars are all well and good but for a city centre to develop its own individual style you need independent bars that attract down to earth creative types. ATTA girl had their first birthday upstairs at Island yesterday – one product of what can emerge from a great independent bar with its own very unique style.

And the drinks. Well Brum didn’t have a rock n roll cocktail bar, cocktails yes, but nothing so unique. For ne the drinks are the best in Brum but I am also impressed with their range of bottled beers, Veltins, Blue Moon etc. The staff aren’t rude but don’t expect any American service style fakeness. As one of the staff once commented: ‘Would you rather have a chatty barman and shit drinks?’. And he’s got a point.

By: Neil

Neil — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:13:09 +0000

I guess it’s about menu size, I’m all for the condensed menu of 20 drinks. Even if a Mojito wasn’t on the menu, people would still order it and the staff would still make it.

The bar staff comment was what I observed a month back, not to me but to a friend. It doesn’t let the place down, hell I’ve drank a lot at this place. Certainly up in the top 3 spots in Birmingham.

By: Martin

Martin — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:11:38 +0000

That comment should have read ‘to remove something from the menu simply because it is popular seems silly’

By: Martin

Martin — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:05:28 +0000

I love Island Bar, I’ve spent many an afternoon trying to work my way through the cocktail menu.

I’ve had no problems with the bar staff, always eager to make me something that isn’t on the menu, even if the bar is packed.

I would disagree with your point about mojitos though, I love a good mojito and to remove something from a menu simply seems silly.