Bank Birmingham

Went with a group of people and was unimpressed with the food. Lobster soup was full of sand or ground lobster shell - not sure which, dont much care, but they didn't seem the slightest bit bothered when we all complained and sent back full soup bowls. other restaurants might have shown embarassment and instantly changed them, not so here. They did bring out a new bowl of different soup for those that asked, I sent back a full bowl of rank soup and got nothing offered or bought back.

I've been there in the past and had decent grub, but last night was pretty mediochre - I would have expected better at a pub. Steak was ok, sauce too salty. Service was teetering on the dishevelled.

Nice place to eat, but I don't think I'll go back there again.
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Bob
Wednesday, May 07, 2008

We only recently moved from London where we are spoilt for choice. We were beginning to feel that Birmingham had nothing to offer until we found Bank. The food was vey good and the service was excellent. Except for a too sweet Lychee Martini I have no complaints. Bank has made me feel that there is some hope for Birmingham yet.
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denise and alastair
Thursday, February 14, 2008

Only good when you want to spend serious money. We went to Bank hoping for a good meal, atmosphere and overall good night to celebrate my girlfriend and I getting engaged. When we arrived, we where hurried through to a table for two, less than a foot away from a family of four, which I have no problem with, but hardly the romantic evening we had been looking forward to. Drinks took about 15 minutes to arrive (a coke and a glass of rose) and then we ordered. Starters were on time and very enjoyable and the evening seemed all the more enjoyable until the main courses arrived, I had ordered the Cod and Chips, with 9 thick cut chips piled up jenga style for show. The top three where delicious but underneath that they where burnt black, the fish was small diden't seem as fresh as they'd have you believe. When we were asked how the meal was, I mentioned how unimpressed I was and the waitress said "That's a shame, we rarely serve a bad meal here" and walked off. She returned to take the plates and asked if we'd like desserts, when we told her we did not, she gave us the bill (two people, two starters, two mains, £138!!! and I don't even drink!) we where made to feel hurried out when they started cleaning the table around us and offering us our coats! Most unimpressed which is a shame because we have been for good meals there before.
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Sunday, January 27, 2008

I have eaten at bank a few times, mainly for lunch, I have never been disappointed, i think the food is of a good quality, you can get your simple food, like sausage and mash or go for something a bit different. From my experience the food has always been good, nicely presented. i quite like the modern feel to Bank, and would have no problem recommending it to friends.

Service has always been good. plates cleared quickly, get the bill when we ask for it. We are quite used to eating out and i feel that bank always deliver's. Maybe a tad pricey, but i think they do lunch deals. I am quite confident we will be back at bank in the very near future and considering they have got Le petit Blanc right on their door step, i personally feel Bank offers a better dining experience
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Wednesday, November 21, 2007

I have just read the review from the "north hater" and can only express surprise. I am a southerner myself (Kent then Surrey) and, with my husband, chose to move to the Midlands because the people are much more genuine and friendly. Southern accents grate just as much as any other, so enough of that!

We go to Bank when we have something to celebrate , such as birthdays, anniversaries, new jobs etc as we live about an hour's drive away, and have never been disappointed. I say this as someone who has travelled quite widely in Europe, and regularly eats out. The menu is varied and imaginative, and there are also delicious specials. The food is beautifully cooked and well-presented and the service is discreet yet attentive, food arriving quickly but without you feeling rushed. The last time we went we were moved to a bigger table without asking for it. I love the atmosphere in the cocktail bar, and they make a mean margarita!

I am sorry about the comments from the other southerner. I assure you that most of us have better manners.
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Christine
Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Food is fantastic, excellent presentation and service is good too, only down fall is how they crame so many tables into such a small space. you can hear everyones conversations and feel as though you are sitting with the people on the next table as they are so close to you.
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KATIE - View all reviews by this user
Tuesday, April 24, 2007

I have just read the review from the pathetic individual who obviously spends their time finding the negatives in everything that exists from Watford gap upwards. I can only imagine that their negativity is down to jealousy as they were probably more surprised that we have running water past Watford let alone top restaurants like Bank. Do us all a favour and stay in the South, we don't need people like you patronising our restaurants. Its funny that more and more fine restaurants are opening here considering its a "sewer", take yourself to the Mailbox and even dare to venture to the Bullring and see what us brummies have to put up with in this "industrial wasteland". Back to what this review is for (commenting on actual restaurants and not cities and accents) I have to say that Bank is a really nice place but can just be a little expensive for the amount of food you actually get. The atmosphere is nice, especially on a Saturday night, and is also a good venue to choose for a pre-theatre meal. The bar is also nice for drinks prior to hitting the other bars/clubs within Brindley Place. Hopefully nobody will take on board the pathetic review posted by the person who can't even put their name next to the comments, just goes to show what a sad life he/she leads if they have to listen into other peoples conversation about such things like mortgages, sport, no doubt he/she was eating alone now why doesn't that surprise me???
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Liz
Wednesday, April 18, 2007

i visited this restuarant for the 2nd time this week and must say food and staff were very proffessional food was of a very high standard although a little pricey but overall excellent all round service.
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Saturday, February 17, 2007

There is a quick answer to this chap who seems to have it in for Birmingham gneerally - stay south of the Watford Gap and stop Brummie bashing please. I have eaten here a number of times and the food and atmosphere have always been good. Perhaps the waiters objected to this chap's snotty anti-B'ham attitude.
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Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Bank is possibly one of the better restaurants in the culinary sewer that they call Birmingham; the menu is unexciting, but the results are somewhat better.

The service is good in some ways, in that it is proper service like what I would expect back in perhaps a café in London. Waiters do their job swiftly and discreetly, as they should. Much unlike the usual experience I have in this town of annoying chatty wait staff. However, the place is vastly understaffed, and even those which they have are not that attentive. Given, they are going to be busy on weekends for dinner, but they should know that, and given that it is an assumption anyone in the industry should be aware of, so it is not forgivable.

As for the food, as I mentioned, the menu is very drab and dull, basic modern British nonsense. However, it is well prepared, and tastes good, given that expectations are low after looking at the menu; it just somehow lacks luster. Call me a lover of pretentious food if you will, but this restaurant errs too much on the side of caution, and really needs to have a menu that its chefs are capable of, not something which really does not test them, and does not do their quality justice. Sometimes there are more exciting dishes on the specials, but its not really something anyone choosing a restaurant wants to rely on.

The wine list is fine, just fine. There are some good examples of Bourgogne and Bordeaux, and a reasonable selection of drain water from the rest of the world (not that I’m looking). There really is not enough selection. Sure, the average Brummie is more likely to order a bottle of Moet than Vosne Romanee or Puligny Montrachet, but if that’s what they want to do, why not just keep a cellar filled with house wine and one type of champagne – I’m sure that is all you need to cater to these unsophisticated northerners.

As a lunch café, fine, for dinner it’s a bit of a joke.

As with all places in the industrial wasteland, it is the crowd that really lets the place down. Basically it’s a hive of businessmen, all in their grey M&S suits, in which they try to look very professional, only to find that they are drinking bitter at the bar (save such behavior for your country pubs, please), and new world drain water at the table, they smoke Benson & Hedges, and their topics of conversation include football, mortgages, gardening, and jokes, which are not funny, but for some reason everyone on the table laughs at; all spoken in an incomprehensible and insanely annoying accent.

I don’t know if the female crowd is worse, fake LV, Gucci, or Prada handbag, coupled with Next’s latest collection, drinking, again New World drain water, and smoking Marlborough Lights. Their topics of conversation include the Bullring, Big Brother, and other things I would expect better from a visitor from Essex before I saw worse a place, which is the north.
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Friday, May 26, 2006