Bartons Arms

No Longer In Business

Shame to see this one closed. Went here with RTV back in the winter of 2021. Plenty of taps to include some new Oakham beers, which I hadn't seen in Suffolk. The food was top notch and very filling.

Great looking Victorian building and nice interior. However a setup is a bit odd, one part is Thai restaurant and the other is pub with large bar in the middle. Route to the restroom takes you through the restaurant part and I had a feeling I was interrupting a family meeting there, kids running around etc. The pub seems like it has seen better days, just 4 or 5 different beers were on, some taps with same beers and some were empty. Beer was solid. Some of the patrons look like they have seen better days too. Had some of that Thai food and it was good. Worth stopping for the building.

Capped off a visit to the excellent Home of Metal Black Sabbath exhibition at Birmingham museum and art gallery with a visit to Sabbath's old stomping ground Aston, and this pub in particular, where Ozzy was known to frequent from time to time in the early days. It's clearly a great example of a grand old Victorian pub, covered from head to toe in ornate features, lots of window etchings, an elaborate staircase and some extremely rare 'snob screens' along one side of the bar, in fact I can't recall ever seeing them still in use before. Its 120 years are starting to show visually, and it's had a rough old time in recent years, being looted and almost burning down during the nationwide riots in 2011, but it's held firm and now seems to be popular with locals and match-day regulars. Beer focus is of course on Oakham, with around 4 cask, one keg, plus a couple of keg guests from Sadlers and Krombacher. Lots of single elderly chaps dotted about quietly reading the paper with a pint. Serves thai food, with a back room reserved for dining, indeed it seems to be run and staffed by a Thai family, though we didn't eat this time. Worth a visit for the interior and overall feel of a historic Brummie pub, but not a beer destination.

This gem of a pub, in a less than salubrious part of Birmingham is a real find. The Oakham beers were well kept and supplemented by a couple of guest ales. All the Victorian features are much in evidence, the staircase being particularly noteworthy. I hope it survives in years to come.

Large pub with a great atmosphere, it was rocking on the Saturday afternoon I visited, some real characters wrre present. Cask & keg beers served, a pretty decent choice

I visited The Barton Arms on Monday 4th January 2016. This was my first ever venture out here to this place, however it won’t be my last. The Barton Arms is a short journey out from the centre, I caught the No:51 Walsall bound bus at the top of Corporation St, (Law Courts stop CS2 I think?) it was only 6 stops from there to the stop directly opposite the pub.

Wow just big, big wow is all I can say about this pub on the inside. This has got to be up there with the very best pub interiors in the country and no mistake, for those that like glazed tiles (I do) this is fabulous. You enter via the central door (though I can see two further corner doors in the bar area), from the central door off to your left is the Thai restaurant and to the right is the bar, mind the couple of steps down whilst you walk jaw agape. Etched glass windows, snob screens and a fabulous staircase add to the picture. Much of the tiling in the bar area is a little more restrained with cream and yellow tiles off-set to a diagonally laid pattern. The entrance is a far more grand affair with red and green tiles, borders and I could go on but it’s just fab.

Being an Oakham pub the beer choice is worthy of such a grand establishment with six of their beers on tap including Inferno, JHB, Bishops Farewell, Citra, Green Devil, Dead Man’s Trousers. Guest beers incl; Wild Brett Brett IPA, Dark Star Hophead and Revelation and Salopian Lemon Dream. Prices from £2.80 for a pint of Inferno with three more at £3.20 or under and Green Devil at just £4.00 a pop!

What a great place, an amazing interior, great beers, great prices, friendly staff who were only too happy to tell you about the place, it ticks all the boxes, though some might argue being a little way from the centre is a negative, I would argue that this position ensures that it is a treasure that you need to discover and that is unlikely to be overrun by the hoardes.

Not been here for a while so hopped on the bus out to Aston (33 or 51) and visited this grand old pub. Beat the Villa and Everton fans in so the place was quiet when we arrived but got busier. Bonus of a mini beer festival that had additional new Oakham offerings plus a few others. Good range of Oakham beers on the bar. Food served from 5.30 and had finished by 6 with starter and main course. More time to head back to town for more beer rating action. Nice place and worth the effort.

If you’re into pubs, especially historic pubs this is a must see place. Absolutely beautiful victorian pub restored to it’s former glory. Beer are from oakham so you have some decent stuff on tap all the time. If in Birmingham this is a must visit place.

Fantastic resplendently tiled suburban pub. plush carpets, wooden floors, mosaics, shiny stuff, well worth a look in just for that. In addition 5/6 oakham bers and 4 guest casks plus 4 keg beers to be getting on with. Very busy with football fans but barmanager still found time to chat a bit. Fantastic excellent value thai food. 20p off/pint for CAMRA members. All in all a great pub, shame they’d run out of Green Devil! Beers sampled this visit: northern monk cossack brown, kernel mosaic, amarillo citra, minotaur mild

A beautifully restored Victorian pub located in Aston, about 2 miles from the city centre - number 7 bus, the Barton Arms is presently owned (leased?) by Oakham. The decor is full of civic splendour, tiles, glass, wood and the pub is separated into a couple of different rooms. Oakham beers on tap, supplemented by guests. Food is good quality Tai, I ate here once before an England game at Villa Park (about a 20 or so minute walk away). Ticking wise not a go to destination but for a glimpse into pubs of yesteryear well worth the trip from Birmingham City centre - allied to the fact you will get tasty Oakham hop juice on tap!