Square Peg Public House

busy pub with decent food and drinks.

Well it’s a large wether spoons pub so you more or less know what you are going to get. This particular bar definitely has locals that would sit there all day, but then there are some people who start their nights here too. They have a reasonable selection of first ales and ofcourse the prices aren’t bad, but for some reason I just don’t like the atmosphere here. It would never be my choice of venue.

Looking at the reviews and what everyone says about Square peg there is alot of bad opinion. I see where poeple are coming from its not the grandest place but also seems to come down to bad experinces they’ve had of drunk people and other rude people. I’ve not experienced that behaviour at Square Peg and the staff have been friendly.
Looking at Vicky’s review recommending Briar Rose as an equally cheaper alternative I will try. My reason for still using the Square Peg is that it sometimes feels like the only cheap alternative in the Colmore Area that has decent size to it.

Wetherspoons, love ‘em or hate ‘em? They seem to divide opinion amonst pub goers. The argument tends to be: «I like cheap food and drinks, why should I pay more?» Vs «I don’t like the clientele that low priced drinks attracts, nor do I like my service economised. I prefer to pay more for higher standards.»
Now, I’m not a Wetherspoons hate at all. I defend their business model frequently.
Firstly, one can’t argue with their prices. Indeed, the only people that ever do argue with their prices are landlords of other pubs who feel they can’t compete. However, it is not a price war that they should be having. Tim Martinm, who started Wetherspoons after failing in his first pub venture, is very outspoken against alcohol duty rises.
Secondly, their product range is actually rather impressive! There’s literally something for everyone. Spirits, lagers, cider, wine, real ales, craft beers, most of which are big brands, some of whom Wetherspoons has helped establish (think Koppaberg). As this is speed service though don’t be surprised if you feel that their cocktail list leaves more to be desired. I for one am enjoying their recent editions Sixpoint Bengali Tiger and Laginutas IPA.
Does having ‘craft beer’ in ‘spoons mean that the beer scene has now become fully gentrified? Yes and no. Yes because as a section in both on and off trade, beer has swelled beyond proportion, making it a popular drink and favourite amongst the young and ‘hip’. ;) No however as ‘spoons have tried this many times before. 10 years ago they imported Goose Island, before that they were stocking German and Czech favourites. The only thing that remained true through each of these was the products didn’t stay for long. Not enough people brought them as no one was interested, bar a few nerdy beer guys. So before you sneers at Wetherspoons stocking ‘craft beer’, remember that they were doing it long before the trendy craft bars came on the scene.
Wetherspoons represent a certain level of quality. Not high quality, but consistency. One kinda knows what they’re getting. Admittedly, their pubs vary a lot up and down the country, I have been to some magnificent ones. Unfortunately Birmingham isn’t host to any of the ‘best’ ‘spoons.
Back to the Square Peg. I attended with a friend who tends to only drink Newcastle Brown Ale, which is becoming rarer to find in bars. As such he gets annoyed when I take him to any of my regular haunts, as there’s nothing likes to drink.
The entrance of the Square Peg is rather annoying. They, only open the door furthest away from the direction (most) people would enter from. I’m guessing this could have something to do with security and crowd control.
After you’ve walked the full length of Corporation Street it’s actually preferable to sit at the far end of the pub back the way you’ve just come from. As it’s further away from the door, it’s a bit quieter. As mentioned in previous reviews this particular ‘spoons does seem to attract alcoholics. It’s also the meeting venue of choice for those without any imagination. So the pub gets busy and noisy. I for one, wouldn’t go in on weekend evening, or when there is a big football match on.
Birmingham is lacking any ‘great’ ‘spoons in my opinion. The Square Peg certainly isn’t the best one in Birmingham. It serves a purpose, one can drink and eat cheaply, but I find I can’t really relax in there.

I am going to be very honest and give two stars to Square Peg for a simple fact: this is the place I choose for a quick changing if I need to go somewhere after work. The toilet is decent (at least during the afternoons) and for me it has been okay so far.
I never actually had a drink or a meal at this pub but I heard not good things about the place.
For a quick peep in the clientèle I just can imagine it is not an easy job to work in this place. Bless the staff! I have seen a woman SHOUTING for her drinks with a very calm (poor girl) bartender. Not nice at all.
There are nice Wetherspoons in town and this one is not on the list. It‘s a massive building and it‘s a pity that an establishment in such a good location can‘t have a better reputation. Shame on!

POp in at Times with friends. Great prices, deals. Friendly staff and odd singalong when Irish lot see me

Normally if I’m in Birmingham and want to go to a Wetherspoons, I’ll go to the Briar Rose and The Dragon Inn. Both of them are much nicer pubs than The Square Peg.
Came here today for a Christmas Lunch with my clients from work. I work with adults with Learning Disabilities, so this wasn’t really the ideal place for them, too loud and too busy. The staff were incredibly rude, refusing to serve one of my clients with Downs Syndrome because she «couldn’t» understand him. We waited over an hour for food and when it came it was cold.
I did complain to a member of staff about the food and the service and the clients with late food were given free drinks, I would have complained more but after two hours I just wanted to get my clients away from more bad service and abuse.
I will be sending an angry letter to the customer service team.

With a Wetherspoons, you generally know what you’re getting… basic, reasonably priced food, a non-​atmosphere and a good selection of drinks. This particular branch is pretty bad. A hot spot for petty theft (watch your phone/​wallet/​coat) and a magnet for midday drunks — I have never had a positive experience here.
My advice: head to The Briar Rose around the corner! Still Wetherspoons, but better décor, cleaner and nicer food!

Always busy, and great meal deals!

We were in Birmingham for a few days and actually ended up eating here with our two children four times! We ate in the evening twice around 6pm and both times the food was great and the service prompt. Even when it was busy the food still came in a good amount of time. The food was very reasonable if you bought the deals my husband had a curry deal with a drink one night and i had a burger & drink the next. Also the kids meals included a drink and bag of fruit which made them reasonable too.
We also ate breakfast here twice. Again the staff were pleasant and service quick. We thoroughly enjoyed the breakfast wrap, the most tasty thing I have eaten for breakfast in a long time. Much nicer than a certain fast food chains breakfast wrap and better value and for just over £3 it came with a drink too.
The décor was a bit tired, old pub style but seating was comfortable and clean so didn’t really matter.
We would return if in the area.

I know it is a Wetherspoons but how could I conclude my Unilocal scouting duties without passing comment on a pub as unfathomably long as the Square Peg. I have heard it has the longest bar in Europe although where that piece of wisdom came from is anyone’s guess. What is sure is that the place is huge so for a few pre drinks in the city centre at rock bottom prices before a big night out this is the place. It actually has a good atmosphere as Wetherspoons go probably assisted by its sheer size and central location. The Square Peg is always a safe bet for a few beers in Birmingham city centre.

Yeah, so, you may not be expecting much from a Wetherspoons pub but the Square Peg’s one saving grace is that it is absolutely MASSIVE. Walking to the bar and looking down is like it is not too dissimilar from looking down a long train platform or towards the alter of a large cathedral. So if you’re in a large group, this is perhaps a safe bet if anyone is dropping in from Snow Hill Station.
Drinks, it’s everything you’d expect and it’s the same deal with the food. Although last time I visited with a friend they had «run out of baps» meaning there wasn’t much left on the menu for us to enjoy. Bit of a shame. It also took forever to get served even though it was a fairly quiet afternoon, I thought for a moment I might have been on a night out and I was lost in Gatecrasher. Fortunately, no, but the reality was not much better I’m afraid. With the Jekyll and Hyde a few minutes away, do yourself a favour and get to a real pub.

I find that JD Wetherspoons’ Square Peg on Corporation Street is a very spacious pub and is a great location for any social group or family as they provide a wide range of offers as part of the JD Wetherspoons chain. A great aspect of the Square Peg is their extremely long pub bar, which enables many customers and groups to be served with a fast and efficient service, which sets off an inviting atmosphere to this pub. The Square Peg has a wide and varied set of customers from a quiet casual meal or drink with another individual to dining with young children. This JD Wetherspoons’ franchise is large enough to cater to a great mass of the public whilst still upholding their target of taking food orders and serving meals within ten minutes. I would recommend the Square Peg to those who seek a place to pre-​drink before nights out or to those who are just looking for a place to wine and dine at an inexpensive price.

This was the first pub i knew about when i was legal to drink, since i’ve walked past it my whole life. I used to love the atmosphere but now as ive grown up abit its just full of the same drunken people, sleezy men out to pick up a chick and chavvy girl’s with their airmax trainers on.
Besides the negatives the staff are very friendly and the same staff always recognise me and strike up a genuine conversation. The food menu is great for the price too.

It’s big, it’s loud… it’s basically a Wetherspoons. Even though it’s one of the larger Wetherspoons in town, it’s typically filled to the rafters with people regardless of what time of day you go.
Being a WS pub, it’s got a lot of what you’d come to expect, namely a wide (if unremarkable) selection of both food and drink at low prices. Unfortunately, unlike several other ‘spoons, it can be a bit rowdy at times and is therefore NOT the kind of place you can go for a quiet lunch or drink, especially when there are major football matches or derbies on.

If you like the concept of Wetherspoons, you’ll like this one.
Wetherspoons are a chain of «old style» pubs done in a very «corporate chain» manner. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with them, but if you’re looking for individuality and charm, you’d best head elsewhere!
This Wetherspoons is big and has the typical patterned carpet, some casino games, and «Ye Olde Wooden Bar».
As most Wetherspoons, the prices are very cheap, and they’ve always got a great selection of local ales, bitters and brews on tap/​draught.
The service is fine, just what you’d expect in a pub — not too cheerful and in your face, and not too sullen and inattentive. The manager is particularly friendly here, and always has time to say hello.
The food is standard of all Wetherspoons, with good deals on Tuesdays and weekends. Their salads and sandwiches are very decent.
If you’re looking for cheap and cheerful with a decent crowd, this is the place to head!

SOOoooo much better since the smoking ban, used to be really unpleasant to sit in.
Love the cheap drinks here although it gets pretty busy in the evenings so you might not get a seat if you are coming later before hitting a club or something.
Plenty of staff serving at the bar so I am never waiting long for drinks. Food can also be ordered at the bar and as a previous reviwer mentioned, it always arrives quickly.
Warning– they are really strict about ID here so if you look under the age of 30 be prepared to show a passport or driving liscence else you risk not being allowed in (even if you just want to order food!!)

I have mixed feelings about this pub. There’s no denying that the Square Peg is unlike any pub in the city with its incredibly long bar, but depending on the time of day, or just the day, that you go in there, the reaction you receive can be completely different!
On a Saturday night this place is buzzing with revellers going out in the city, and you can often struggle to find a seat, but pop in here in the week and you’ll have no problem.
The Square Peg is a Wetherspoons pub so you know what to expect in terms of food and drinks menu. Both aren’t overpriced which is a definite bonus if you want to pop in here for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s been situated on Corporation Street for many years and unfortunately is in desperate need of some TLC. Because of its close proximity to Aston University, it is a favourite haunt for students which is often a problem.

The Square Peg is an absolutely massive wetherspoons in the centre of birmingham that is well worth visiting.
The food and drink is the same as in every wetherspoons, with a large eating area and very long bar that probably needs more bar staff to manage it but thats probably the only fault with the bar in the pub.
The service is pretty good otherwise and the food is promptly served

The Square Peg feels like Birmingham city centre’s main pub, at least to me. It’s pretty huge, longways (apparently has England or Europe’s longest bar or something), and situated right in the city centre. The narrow shape of it gives something of an odd atmosphere, as well as a rather unique walk to the bar. Most weekday evenings, it’s fairly quiet. The Square Peg is the sort of place that people pop into for one drink rather than a place people spend the evening.
There’s also a restaurant there, the seating for which takes up the final third of the pub. Personally I’ve found the food hit and miss. The pub generally has a sort of dank, impersonal feel to it, and the food can sometimes take on this quality too.
The staff are reasonably fast and well-​mannered, and the prices are good for the city centre. It’s a decent enough place, just don’t expect to fall in love with it.