
The White Swan
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Quick info
About The White Swan
The White Swan is a gastropub on Harborne Rd in Birmingham, with an outdoor dining space set aside for al fresco lunches. The kitchen cooks pub dishes including pan fried sea bass and blade of beef with cheddar mash. Many plates suit sharing and mix sweet and savoury flavours. Real ales and wines are poured alongside a cocktail list that includes a passion fruit cocktail topped with freeze-dried cranberries. The team accommodates allergies, and the pub takes Christmas lunch bookings in the festive season. Dogs are welcome.
Good to know
- ReservationsAccepts reservations
- ParkingFree parking lot · Free street parking · On-site parking
- Good for kidsGood for kids · Has changing table(s) · Kids' menu
- DietaryVegan options · Vegetarian options
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Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention pan fried sea bass, chocolate bomb, blade of beef and passion fruit cocktail.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention pan fried sea bass, chocolate bomb, blade of beef and passion fruit cocktail.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers most often single out the sea bass, with one visitor saying it beat a famous restaurant's version back home and another praising its crispy skin and melting fish. Close behind are the blade of beef with cheddar mash and the chateaubriand, described as excellent and generous, alongside the half chicken, scallops, cheddar mushrooms and haddock fish and chips. Desserts draw their own praise, especially the chocolate bomb, the rhubarb crumble and a fluffy, light tiramisu, while a passion fruit cocktail topped with freeze dried cranberries earns a mention too. Staff are repeatedly called friendly, warm and attentive, and one party said allergies were accommodated. The complaints are small: one diner found the potatoes with the chateaubriand could have been better, and another found the car park poorly lit when leaving. One group celebrating a birthday was given a free brownie by the chef.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers most often single out the sea bass, with one visitor saying it beat a famous restaurant's version back home and another praising its crispy skin and melting fish. Close behind are the blade of beef with cheddar mash and the chateaubriand, described as excellent and generous, alongside the half chicken, scallops, cheddar mushrooms and haddock fish and chips. Desserts draw their own praise, especially the chocolate bomb, the rhubarb crumble and a fluffy, light tiramisu, while a passion fruit cocktail topped with freeze dried cranberries earns a mention too. Staff are repeatedly called friendly, warm and attentive, and one party said allergies were accommodated. The complaints are small: one diner found the potatoes with the chateaubriand could have been better, and another found the car park poorly lit when leaving. One group celebrating a birthday was given a free brownie by the chef.
Featured reviews
- Dzintars Romans
“We were welcomed in and given the perfect amount of time to choose our drinks to start with. We ordered the starter along some mains and the starter arrived within minutes! You could sense the quality and detail put in the food and cocktails. Georgia's service was impeccable. Just giving over a glance and she understood that we needed assistance. Everything was smooth and efficient - truly a pleasure.”
- Rob
“We had an absolutely fantastic evening from start to finish. I started with the cheddar mushrooms, while Dave had the scallops — both were outstanding. For our mains, we both chose the blade of beef with cheddar mash, an old favourite of ours, and it was absolutely amazing. Beautifully cooked beef and a really excellent dish. We don’t normally have dessert, but we were having such a lovely evening that we decided to stay a little longer. I had the chocolate bomb and Dave chose the rhubarb crumble. Both were delicious and a perfect end to the meal. A very special mention has to go to Lucie, who looked after us throughout the evening. She was amazing — so warm, friendly and attentive, while never being intrusive. Nothing was too much trouble and she genuinely made us feel looked after. She’s a real credit to The White Swan. It was also really nice to see that our previous feedback had been listened to and taken seriously. The food, service and atmosphere were all excellent, and this visit has completely restored our confidence in The White Swan. Wishing the whole team the very best with the refurbishment. We’re really looking forward to seeing the new-look White Swan and returning once you reopen. A genuinely lovely evening and an easy 5 stars from us. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”
- Bernadette Sharpe
“My family were visiting from Dubai so I brought them here to try and compare the sea bass with a famous restaurant in Dubai ‘Paul’s’ to which they admitted the White Swan’s sea bass surpassed that of the one in Dubai! As per usual the atmosphere and service was spectacular and we all devoured our meals! My daughter-in-law and I had the sea bass whilst my son had the haddock fish and chips (both are fussy eaters) and neither of them had any complaints! Best gastro food in Harborne!”
- chanstan
“Atmosphere is amazing! I loved the unique sweet and savoury flavours of all the dishes and I recommend to share with people so everyone can get the best of all dishes. One of the waitresses ,Courtney, was constantly very friendly towards us and since it was my sisters birthday, chef Snoop prepared us a lovely free brownie! It was all extraordinary and I’d definitely come back for a special occasion(this is what remained of the brownie haha)”
- Johanna Munian
“Fantastic find! We called in whilst driving back to Wales, quickly checked the Google reviews whilst in the car patk and went it. Im so glad we did; beautiful pub, gorgeous food and fantastic service from Courtney. Would recommend and will be thinking about the half chicken and the chocolate bomb and wishing we lived closer. Really good value especially considering the quality of the food , would recommend”
Hours
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
Highlights
“The White Swan in Birmingham combines a unique outdoor dining space with pub favourites, real ales and wines, perfect for lazy lunches and al fresco dining.”
- Fireplace
- Great beer selection
- Great coffee
- Great dessert
- Great tea selection
- Great wine list
Amenities
- Free parking lot
- Accepts reservations
- Outdoor seating
- Dogs allowed
- Delivery
- Takeout
Show more amenities
- Dine-in
- Good for kids
- Vegan options
- Bar onsite
- Cozy
- Onsite services
- Offerings· 12
- Alcohol
- Beer
- Cocktails
- Coffee
- Food
- Food at bar
- Hard liquor
- Healthy options
- Quick bite
- Small plates
- Vegetarian options
- Wine
- Facilities· 1
- Restroom
- Pet-friendly· 2
- Dogs allowed inside
- Dogs allowed outside
- Dining options· 8
- Breakfast
- Brunch
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Catering
- Dessert
- Seating
- Table service
- Atmosphere· 4
- Casual
- Romantic
- Trendy
- Upscale
- Crowd· 1
- Groups
- Planning· 2
- Lunch reservations recommended
- Dinner reservations recommended
- Highlights· 6
- Fireplace
- Great beer selection
- Great coffee
- Great dessert
- Great tea selection
- Great wine list
- Popular for· 1
- Solo dining
- Parking· 5
- Free street parking
- On-site parking
- Paid parking lot
- Paid street parking
- Parking
- Family-friendly· 2
- Has changing table(s)
- Kids' menu
Location
Bars near The White Swan
- The Physician4.53,3710.5 mi
fish and chips, sunday roast, tagliatelle
- Green Man4.21,8410.5 mi
fish and chips, three-course meal deal, large outdoor garden
- The Plough Harborne4.53,5890.5 mi£20–30ReservationsGood for kids
cuban sandwich, cauliflower cheese, 12.5% service charge
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The White SwanReservations · Outdoor seating · Good for kids | 4.42,749 | — | £20–30 | pan fried sea bass, chocolate bomb, blade of beef |
| The Physician | 4.53,371 | 0.5 mi | — | fish and chips, sunday roast, tagliatelle |
| Green Man | 4.21,841 | 0.5 mi | — | fish and chips, three-course meal deal, large outdoor garden |
| The Plough HarborneReservations · Good for kids | 4.53,589 | 0.5 mi | £20–30 | cuban sandwich, cauliflower cheese, 12.5% service charge |
The 3 nearest bars by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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