Bodega

First things first… if you want a guaranteed table (and therefore full menu), BOOK!
Bodega is another branch to the Bitter and Twisted group (Island Bar, The Victoria, Jekyll and Hyde etc), and make a great addition to the brand.
The fish tacos are awesome; the nachos incredible and a tequila menu that does Mexico proud.
Service is ok — when I last went, they did that thing that always makes me nervous where they don’t write anything down, and low and behold, the chap had to come back to check the order. But the food came out as expected, so all good ;-)
Great place for groups and couples alike.

I’m from Canada and a few cousins of mine decided that we are going to grab a few drinks and some light appetizers at Bodega. I was really excited as Mexican is one of my favourite cuisines and it just so happened I was explaining to them what ceviche was the night before and it turned out it was on the menu!
Now finding the restaurant was quite easy, following the instructions on google and the sign was very obvious. Great first impressions, location was perfect and place looked amazing. Was ready to get my grub on, unfortunately I didn’t do too much research on the place and upon entry we found out they take people only based on bookings which I did not do. Luckily as we were a small group and only wanted a couple drinks and appies the manager was able to hook us up with a table which wasn’t going to have people for another hour so props to them, was really appreciative that they could accommodate us.
Drinks were the best here, cocktails are definitely a must. Can’t remember the name of what I got but it was fruity and really tasty! Sadly our server said they were all out of ceviche which really bummed me out but the yam fries and nachos we ordered sufficed. And don’t get started on the churros, they were the bomb and I had to order 2 servings (bit of a sweet tooth haha).
Overall great service from staff and loved the food. Will be making this one of my exclusive places to visit whenever I’m in the UK.

We generally go for a quick team lunch about once every 4 weeks and there is some weird long-​standing tradition of going for ‘Fish Friday’ in the Wetherspoons on Bennetts Hill, which I am not the greatest fan of! Thankfully this Friday we decided to change things up a bit and went to Bodega over the road instead. I’ve eaten at Bodega many times and it rarely disappoints so I was keen to see what the team thought of it.
I booked a table for 8 easily online and we were seated as soon as we arrived. Our waitress was friendly and took our drinks order quickly. The lads were all pleased to see that they had Estrella on tap, while I opted for a Passion Fruit Twist. We ordered two portions of nachos between us as starters. They arrived and, as usual, each dish was an absolute mountain of food. Even with 8 of us all diving in, we still had plenty to eat each and everyone thought was really tasty.
For mains we all went for either quesadillas or burritos with three portions of sweet potato fries to share. Again these all went down really well, my chicken quesadillas and the fries were extremely tasty, despite me overdoing it a bit with the Pip’s Hot Sauce!
I was really pleased that everyone enjoyed their meals and I hope we get to have many more team lunches at Bodega as the food, service and ambiance is far superior to the ‘spoons!

I hasn’t eaten in bodega for a long time but now I’m based in town for work I can really take advantage of the 20% off with Independent Birmingham card when dining before 6, and it was happy hour, cocktails for £4.50, and we can get points on your bitters and tested loyalty card…/!; if that’s not enough, a stamp on your cocktail trail card!
I ordered a cacacha with watermelon long cocktail which was refreshing but a little sweet for my sour tongue. Following this I had a perfectly balanced margarita (half salt rim). For dinner, I could have picked everything on the menu & will have to go back to work my way through! I noticed some traditional Argentinian dishes which filled me with great confidence of the chefs — this isn’t a watered down chain menu! Unfortunately he grill wasn’t working so a couple of dishes were off the menu but this didn’t faze us and we were assured the grill would be fixed within the day.
We ordered ’ la selection’ which was 6 taster dishes from the menu to share as a couple. This was enough food for 2 people. The nachos were made from large tortillas and topped with guacamole, salsa and sour cream, all flavours perfectly balanced. There was a spicy chicken taco flavoured with peanut adding much needed protein to the carb heavy platter. Three delicious street good style large croquettes filled with chicken and cheese. The chill cheese quesadilla were perfectly cooked hut perhaps a little more filling if I was being fussy. This was accompanied with dirty rice & patatas bravas style potatoes topped with cheese.
The bill came to £36, for 3 cocktails, a beer and the platter which I thought was good value! Food & drinks were served quickly — but do book in advance! Especially as they have just won another Bham food award! Oh and there s one in Worcester too!
Sorry there’s no picture… iPhone batteries hey!

I come here regularly with my partner for their AMAZING nachos. We usually come straight from him finishing work, so we are also able to get 20% off with the Birmingham Independent Card and also make the use of their £4.50 cocktail deal (yes, we are cheap). The cocktail list has got lots of interesting choices on it so I recommend looking through them and trying something new.
All the mains and starters I have tried here have been absolutely delicious, however the desserts are a little lacking so I would go somewhere else if you want something sweet (grand central is nearby and has dessert and ice cream places inside). I’m knocking a star off because sometimes the staff can seem rushed and forgetful. Also if you are going anything later then 7pm or at the weekend then you definitely need to book a table as it gets packed!

I’ve visited Bodega a few times now and I feel it is a really safe bet for most outings. The cocktails are generally great and the food is mostly pretty awesome too.
Bodega specialises in tequila, rum, cachaca and pisco based cocktails. There is a lot of choice on the menu, and a great balance of classics and signature drinks. My favourite is the Pepino, as it’s incredibly refreshing and a great flavour combination of cucumber and elderflower. There is a bar downstairs that you can visit if you’ve just come for drinks, and this has a really cool vibe with great mexican-​inspired décor.
When I’ve been to eat the service has been slightly hit and miss, which is why it hasn’t quite managed a five star rating. At times the server has seemed a bit disinterested in us, and on other occassions various things from our order have been forgotten. That being said, we’ve usually had good service and no major problems.
The food at Bodega is a general crowd pleaser. Expect the usual array of mexican delights, such as tacos, quasadillas, nachos and burritos. These are all great and all have a vegetarian option. The sweet potato fries are also a must, whatever you’re ordering — this side comes as a large portion with a spicy mayo. They also helpfully offer a vegan menu, which is greatly appreciated as it can still be hard to find a good place for vegans in town. On the one occasion I did have a vegan in my group however, they did mention that the meal was a bit lack-​lustre, and felt as if it was missing something to give it more flavour.
Overall I would really recommend Bodega if you love mexican food and cocktails. It’s got a great atmosphere and is a really funky, fun restaurant, so perfect for large groups.

The atmosphere in this Mexican restaurant is second to none! Fantastic tunes, exotic food and cocktail menu, you must experience this gem :) The staff are also very friendly :)

A great place with great atmosphere. Been here twice, once for food and once for drinks, a really nice place! The decoration of the interior is lovely! And the food… I had my first ever burrito which was really really good! I would highly recommend this if eating, and if, like me, you have never had a burrito this is the place to try it.
When going downstairs for cocktails the decoration is as good as the upstairs with a few tables and chairs to have drinks with. Could be a bit bigger as sometimes it felt a bit squashed but apart from that this place is really great!
Staff were brilliant and so helpful! Would definitely recommend a visit if you have never been before.
My first review, so apologies if it was bad :)

Get some Mexican in your life with a top nacho or burrito action and wash it all down with a tequila (or four).
Bodega is a brightly coloured place (although not all that light as it is so long and narrow) but happily the only cheese on show is the stuff melted on your nachos, it’s a lively place that’s a good stop if you just want a drink or to get some hearty Mexican fare inside you.
The food is solid, it’s all tasty and portions are generous, your burrito is going to be packed with the good stuff. Nachos here are a bit legendary in Birmingham and with good reason, I don’t even like them normally but I’ll wolf a bowl of the giant crispy delights down, all helped with big dollops of guacamole and salsa (and of course, cheesy goodness).
There is a full bar with a good range of cocktails, tequila is the drink to really go for here though and, even if you’ve had bad experiences with the cheap stuff in the past, I’d recommend trying one of the flights they do. They come with four shots of different varieties and it’s really interesting to taste the difference between the different qualities and longer aged ones. If the idea of tequila just gives you a horrifying flashback to a night you thought had been buried forever in a haze of booze clocked shame, don’t worry you can get a good beer.
Well worth a visit, do remember it gets really busy here so you might want to be prepared to sit and have a few drinks before you’ll be able to eat (or do that fancy pre booking malarkey), the staff are very friendly so they’ll do their best to accommodate you.

I didn’t know if I had to put 3 or 4 stars. I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant to friends visiting Birmingham but I had a great experience anyway.
We had booked a table for 8 for 9pm and the table was only available for like 9.12pm. I know it’s not a big difference but it seems like a huge gap when you’re super hungry.
I choose one burrito (don’t remember the name and which one) with sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes were just amazing. But the sauce that accompanied them was not really good. I would had prefer something with more species or more taste. The burrito was really good but you can taste is more a fast food restaurant than a quality one (which doesn’t bother me, but maybe you’re searching for something else).
The restaurant is week situated in the very centre of the city.
I will maybe return because it was good but it’s not in my top restaurant from Brum.

I just love everything about Bodega! Part of the Bitters & Twisted chain, this venue is all things South America. Two friends and I headed down on a Tuesday night for food and cocktails. Even midweek the place was packed and we were lucky to grab the last remaining table.
The menu here is mouth watering. You can order a dish for yourself but the menu is really made to share so we did just that. We ordered a large Nachos, pulled pork Tacos, Sweet potato fries and a house salad between three.
Unlike many places, the Nachos are made with freshly fried tortilla chips and loads of topping including guacamole, refried beans and sour cream. Although the portion was a little small, the Tacos were delicious. The sweet potato fries were chunky (fries or chips?) and perfectly cooked. However, the most surprising element of the meal was the house salad. For £3.25 we received a bowl of salad heaven with sliced avocado, refried beans and lashings of dressing (Not one for those counting the calories). All in all the meal was incredible.
It didn’t end there either. The waitress suggested a chilli and ginger Mojito to drink. It sounds like it wouldn’t work but it truely was incredible. It had the standard Mojito base with just enough fresh chilli to add a kick and the ginger worked well too.
The total bill came £45 which included all of the aforementioned food and three cocktails. A great venue, great food and a bargain to boot! Definitely a thumbs up from me.

We had a girls night out today and one of the girls booked a table for five people for 6pm.
We were sat at the back of the restaurant which was fine and we were not ignored by staff like some places.
I ordered one of the Cocktails though I wish I had ordered my favourite mojito but it was fine.
We had some starters like nachos, the jalapeños which were spicy (I had them last week in chiquitos and they were not spicy!) and soft shell crab (which you get one per order).
I had the beef burrito which was filling, but tasty! The others shared a variety of tacos.
It’s a nice restaurant and staff are really nice but they came up and said we only had 6 mins at the table left of our 2 hour slot … Which none of us knew of! So we had our dessert but didn’t finish it. In the end we asked for a box to take home the three Churros we had left including tubs for the sauce.
It’s a busy place so make sure you book as people were being turned away. Check if you have a time slot to eat in and make use of the time!

It’s easy to miss Bodega on Bennets hill. I would often wonder what’s hidden behind the dark glass front. When I eventually got round to visiting I was surprised to find a very welcoming, colourful and industrially decorated restaurant on the inside.
The food is very street food inspired but they have been doing it way before the current trend. I went for the range of tacos on offer, chicken, beef and fish. They were nice but a little dry and I didn’t feel that had been individually crafted to bring the best of the different meats and fish. Highlights though were the chilli con carne. Such depth of flavour and very moorish. The foot long burrito is great for those wanting a challenge. The sweet potato fries are also very well done. The cocktail menu is well crafted and good value. The earl grey tea cocktail served in a cup and saucer was pretty fun. Overall a great little venue in the heart of town.

Went back to the bodega after the Unilocal event we had there because I really like the style of this place. Again it was lovely, and the food was great. They serve the halloumi with pineapples and a bit of a chutney which works amazingly well. I’m craving it since then. The beans were really good too! It’s nice to sit upstairs because it’s bright and colourful and the place is buzzing without being too noisy.

Had an absolute fabulous time testing tequila shots with fellow Unilocalers!
Great atmosphere and fantastic room downstairs, brilliant for party gatherings.
Could have some really good party’s!
Food was delicious and really loved the art work and deco.
Definitely ¹⁰⁄₁₀ for overall experience x

After 2 years and many awesome additions to the Brum restaurant scene, Bodega is still one of my absolute favorite spots in Birmingham. Delicious South American food in a cosy, colorful setting. The food really doesn’t disappoint, whether you’re keen for a plate of nachos or a Peruvian beef stew. Portions are perfect; not overwhelmingly large but more than enough for your money.
If you want a table, I recommend booking in advance! Bodega is a really popular spot. If you’re happy to just eat street food (which is really good anyway), just head to the downstairs bar.
Extensive cocktail menu. Great Pisco sours. The staff always go above and beyond. And the sweet potato fries… man, they have the best sweet potato fries. Highly recommended.

Last night I attended a private event in the downstairs area where there was a separate bar and customizable seating area. I would recommend this place for a private event as I thoroughly enjoyed my experience. The customer service was very good, the gentleman in charge was very knowledgeable about tequilas, and our food was hot and prompt.
Although I was unable to try anything hand picked from a menu upstairs, the place I noticed was super busy and I think there might have been a bit of a wait for a Monday night. There was also a very cool looking full bar upstairs as well.
It seems like the type of place I would definitely visit again when I’m craving some very tasty Mexican food!
p. s. the guacamole was delish!!!

Possibly one of the best night I’ve had in a Unilocal event by far! The place was lovely, has cosy décor, low lighting and feels really good and welcoming. Staff was friendly and the manager who hosted the event was fantastic. The drinks was the best, non stop following with drink tasting such as varies tequilas, other beers etc. Food was great and the place was awesome, what more can you ask for. Overall it was a fantastic experience thanks to Dan and the Bodega team whom did a amazing job.

Bodega is easy to walk past without noticing but it really is worth stepping inside to sample the food and drink. I really wanted to leave them a fantastic 5* review because this place really does have amazing tasty food and great beer and cocktails selection. They have TEQUILA too!!!
The atmosphere is laid back and fun however it is a small establishment and therefore it’s best to make a reservation to avoid disappointment. They have space downstairs too.
The food is fresh and great quality. They offer small plates to share which are tapas style or large plates if you want your own meal. The cocktails very tasty and there lots on offer to choose from. The beer selection is extensive, you’re bound to find something that will tickle your tastebuds. I found the staff attentive, but because we were sat in a corner behind other people we ended up waiting around 20 minutes trying to get the waitress attention for our second order of drinks. again we had to wait quite a long time to pay the bill. Also when my tapas small plates arrive they forgot to bring out my sweet potato fries. So had to rush the order resulting in burnt fries. Which were the only two bad points. Otherwise i would of gave the full 5*. I will return and update my review.
That rant aside, great food, great atmosphere, shame about the lack of service. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for something a little bit different.

Bodega has to be one of my favourite restaurants in Birmingham. I have been here a few times since it opened and have never been disappointed.
The restaurant itself is pretty small but this gives it a really cosy and welcoming vibe. The staff cannot do enough to help you from the moment you step into the place and this carries on right up until the moment you leave. We had all of the drink options explained to us, as well as having recommendations on the food we may like. We decided we would go for ‘la seleccion’ which was a combination of many of the dishes on the menu. It included nachos, cubanas and empanadas.
All were presented in a traditional relaxed style and were packed full of flavour and spice. Being slightly optimistic we also ordered a side of sweet potato fries with our sharer… we did not need them as the food was all very filling and we ended up sadly leaving them! 100% eyes bigger than belly moment!
We washed down our food with a mojito each and took in the south american sounds playing throughout the restaurant. This is a place you can go with friends, family or whoever you are with and i’m sure they would be able to enjoy it. My main advice is book way in advance, this is a seriously popular restaurant and tables are like gold dust, this shows you just how good it is here!
Keep up the good work Bodega!