The Spotted Dog
Quick info
About The Spotted Dog
The Spotted Dog is a pub at 104 Warwick St in Birmingham, pouring pints from its cellar since 1821 and run as the oldest family-owned establishment in Digbeth. The bar serves Guinness and hand-drawn cask ale, including a dark mild, with bottled beers alongside the draft lines and a selection of Irish whiskeys. Inside, leaded windows, one carrying a large spotted dog, frame a traditional room lit by candles and open fires, with a snug that has a fire of its own. Live music includes Irish traditional sessions, jazz and gigs, some of them held in the covered garden, and a quiz night adds another reason to visit. The garden has a free pool table and a dartboard, and chess boards and an arcade machine are free to use. A large room and a section of the garden can be hired for private parties, which gives groups a space of their own. The pub opens Tuesday to Sunday and closes on Mondays.
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention guinness, irish whiskey selection, cask ale and dark mild.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention guinness, irish whiskey selection, cask ale and dark mild.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers most often single out the cask ale, with several praising a wide range of well kept hand drawn pints and one calling the Dark Mild far better than Guinness. Guinness itself earns separate praise as top quality, and close behind come the Irish whiskeys and spirits, plus an interesting selection of bottled beers and Peroni. The interior is credited with keeping its traditional character, with a snug, a roaring fire, candlelit evenings, leaded windows and green velvet curtains. Several describe the bar staff as friendly and welcoming, and one says they let customers sample a beer before buying. The sheltered garden is called a good spot for a summer afternoon, with a free pool table, chess boards and a classic arcade machine. One reviewer calls the food fresh and delicious, while another did not try it. Visitors also mention live jazz, gigs in the garden, a quiz night and a contemporary Irish soundtrack, and one longtime patron recalls post match pints beside a poet in the corner.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers most often single out the cask ale, with several praising a wide range of well kept hand drawn pints and one calling the Dark Mild far better than Guinness. Guinness itself earns separate praise as top quality, and close behind come the Irish whiskeys and spirits, plus an interesting selection of bottled beers and Peroni. The interior is credited with keeping its traditional character, with a snug, a roaring fire, candlelit evenings, leaded windows and green velvet curtains. Several describe the bar staff as friendly and welcoming, and one says they let customers sample a beer before buying. The sheltered garden is called a good spot for a summer afternoon, with a free pool table, chess boards and a classic arcade machine. One reviewer calls the food fresh and delicious, while another did not try it. Visitors also mention live jazz, gigs in the garden, a quiz night and a contemporary Irish soundtrack, and one longtime patron recalls post match pints beside a poet in the corner.
Featured reviews
- Henry Johnson
“Had a great experience at The Spotted Dog. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, the staff were friendly, and the food was delicious. Everything was served fresh and the service was quick and attentive. A lovely place to relax and enjoy a meal with friends or family. I would definitely visit again and recommend it to others.”
- Denise Harris
“Popped in for a drink while staying over in Birmingham for night. Friendly pub with good atmosphere.”
- Ollie Lloyd
“It's been 18 month's since I last visited the SD, due to moving areas, and have to say, the place feels as lovely as ever, despite recent controversy.. it feels really loved, cosier than ever and thriving with friendly people. Attention to detail everywhere, lovely friendly staff and landlord, amazing contemporary Irish soundtrack and just a pleasure to sit down, by candlelight and have a pint. Will be back asap”
- Deborah Shields
“Great little pub with super friendly vibes. Quiz and Shizzle is something else! Had the best night and will be back👍🏻”
- Julian Hadley
“One of the simplest reviews I'll ever write. This pub is superb, or as a colleague of mine would say, a real golden nugget. We visited on a Sunday afternoon, so obviously, it was quieter than usual, and we were able to park without difficulty. First impressions were very good. The pub has a very welcoming feel. The interior is beautiful and the management have done a sterling job of retaining the original character and traditional feel. The hand drawn ale is excellent and clearly well kept. Better still, the Spotted Dog has a very nice selection of Irish Whiskeys, which, for the purposes of legitimate research, we felt it important to sample (a good decision by any measure). The pub also has a covered beer garden, which is equally welcoming. The staff were great, and couldn't have been more friendly. We didn't try the food on this occasion, but will make up for that on our next visit, which will be in the very near future. They have plenty of entertainment which we look forward to seeing. If, like me, you prefer a traditional pub, with a nice atmosphere, decent ale and a good choice of Whiskeys, then you can't go wrong with the Spotted Dog. I can't wait to visit again.”
Hours
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
Good to know
“Home to Birmingham's most renowned Guinness and premium Irish spirits. The Spotted Dog is a Birmingham institution for a reason. We're the oldest family owned and run establishment in Digbeth. There's been pints flowing from The Dog's cellar since 1821 and we take pride in every pour. We host regular Irish traditional music sessions and new bands, open fires, a selection of guest ales. Our large covered garden has a free pool table and dartboard. We have a large room and section of the garden available for private parties.”
- AccessibilityWheelchair-accessible entrance
Amenities
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Location
Bars near The Spotted Dog
- Nortons Digbeth4.47540.4 mi
guinness pint, sunday roast, live music
- 0.5 mi
smooth shisha, frozen blueberry shisha, lime mint shisha
- The Village Inn3.63810.6 miOutdoor seating
security entry refusals, fights and thrown drinks, drugs in toilets
| Place | Rating | Distance | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Spotted Dog | 4.5937 | — | guinness, irish whiskey selection, cask ale |
| Nortons Digbeth | 4.4754 | 0.4 mi | guinness pint, sunday roast, live music |
| Sahara Shisha Lounge Birmingham | 4.2384 | 0.5 mi | smooth shisha, frozen blueberry shisha, lime mint shisha |
| The Village InnOutdoor seating | 3.6381 | 0.6 mi | security entry refusals, fights and thrown drinks, drugs in toilets |
The 3 nearest bars by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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