Birmingham to classy Ibiza who says you can’t have both in a day Hey?

Birmingham has opened up its very own tropical paradise in the heart of Digbeth. Birdies is an outdoor cocktail bar with a beach/island theme selling refreshing cocktails and bloody good BBQ food. 

Right next door to Ghetto Golf and just down the road from Digbeth Dining Club, you will see the Birdies neon sign flashing amongst palm trees to lure those of us desperate for a holiday. Stepping into Birdies is like stepping into your holiday without the hassle of early morning rises, broken toilet signs and crying children. The place has been made out of shipping containers (of course, that’s Digbeth for you) decorated in fantastic art that gives that quirky edge. Open roof in the centre means it’s the place to be in the summer, however, I am wondering what they are going to do when dreaded winter arrives.

It’s order at the tills, they have a main bar for ordering the drinks and then they have the kitchen bar where you can order the food. They do not display food menus on the tables so you will have to check the main menu by the food bar. From halloumi burgers to salt and pepper chicken and even ‘Buddha Bowls’- there is a variety on offer and they even cater for vegan and gluten free.

I opted for the salt and pepper chicken fries and a cheeky can of Estrella. Once ordered, I sat back and relaxed listening to the music, the music is bloody good in here and I need the playlist ASAP. Seating area is very generous here from container seats to barstools and deck chairs. Warning: the bar area is not so generous as there is only one bar, so it gets very busy on the nights as it’s lit up with fairy lights and looks like a classy full moon party-if they ever do exist. You have a great mixture of people in here, people of all ages and it’s great to see a couple of the old gals dancing with the young lads and teaching them how the older generation get down- I learnt a few things that night…

On to the important stuff, FOOD. The food is from streetvendor Apocalypse Cow who also provides the food for Ghetto Golf. It took about 20 minutes to come but I didn’t really care about the wait as I was too busy downing my drink and enjoying my holiday. When it did come my eyes lit up like a Christmas tree (too soon? Okay, okay) My salt and pepper chicken was POPPIN’ forget bloody KFC, Birdies chicken is finger lickin’ good! Layered with a Chinese sauce, very vibrant, very tasty, and the portion sizes are very generous, I actually couldn’t finish mine as it is quite filling. I made another trip back to Birdies for the cocktails, also very refreshing and tasted great and the prices are quite reasonable here. A variety of fruity cocktails on offer and beer, so you may be stuck for choice. For all you non-alcoholics or those nursing a dirty hangover, Birdies provides mocktail versions of all the cocktails so you don’t feel left out.

Birdies is the place to be, vibrant, lively and just a pretty god damn cool place to have casual drinks in the day and then a dance on the night. The only downside I would say is the bar on the nights, it gets way too busy and you could be waiting there for 20 minutes or more to be served. In the day, its perfect and the staff are very friendly and willing to help. If you’re sad that summer is over, you can always pop to Birdies as it’s summer all year round but just don’t expect a tan at the end of it.

AMY ELIZA