Despite being slap bang in Birmingham City Centre, The Sun on the Hill manages to grasp the feel of a local boozer. Not your average city pub, a wholesome menu and vintage style make this a hot spot for students and Birmingham’s young indie crowd alike. With a warm and welcoming atmosphere as soon as you step inside, I was keen to see what this pub had to offer.
The Venue
Downstairs is a spacious room with a long bar down the left hand side and plenty of seating from large booths and Chesterfield sofas to low tables and stools. Above the bar is lined with vintage style mirrors and the walls are adorned with vintage wallpaper. Have a peek behind the DJ booth and spy the quirky wall mural awash with famous faces.
Take a look upwards and not only will the super high ceiling send you in to a spin but you will also spy the mezzanine. Primed for private parties with its own bar and a view that over looks the whole pub from one side and bustling Bennetts Hill from the other.
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A quirky blend of the classic with contemporary, The Sun on the Hill is a relaxed and spacious city centre haunt.
The Food and Drink
While you shouldn’t expect any fancy cocktails, you should expect all your traditional pub drinks at extremely reasonable prices. I opted for a glass of Pinot Grigio and my friend a pint of lager, both of which went down quite nicely!
The Sun on the Hill have a hearty pub grub menu and while I didn’t sample anything myself, I couldn’t help but stare as the tables surrounding me tucked in to their tea. The burgers looked particularly scrummy and let’s just say you won’t be left hungry with those portion sizes!
Brimming with local favourites and classic tipples, The Sun on the Hill is a reliably tasty boozer.
The Atmosphere and Clientele
Visiting on a Monday evening, the pub wasn’t packed; we managed to settle ourselves in at one of the booth tables. Although it wasn’t heaving there was still a really friendly laid-back atmosphere. The crowd in there was a real mix bag from young after work drinkers to pre-drinking students.
I have also visited The Sun on the Hill on a weekend before and whilst we got there relatively early, it was already really busy and we couldn’t get a table. Not that this really mattered, with the quirky mix of tunes played by the DJ we were soon happy to be up and dancing. What started as a quick drink had us there until closing.
From pub lunches to cracking DJ nights, The Sun on the Hill is Birmingham's perfect all rounder.
Summary
Don’t expect glitz and glamour from this pub in the city centre because that’s not what they’re about. The Sun on the Hill is a really chilled out yet lively pub that is successful in their mission of retaining the charm of a local boozer right in the heart of Birmingham city centre. With a jam-packed calendar of DJ nights and live music I’d sure head back!
