This is one of Birmingham’s best-known and most-loved cocktail bars – and for good reason. It’s part of a local family encompassing other creative venues such as The Victoria and Bodega, but Island Bar stands out among them all.
Located in the city centre, this place can be found near the recently revitalised John Bright Street, which is the scene for a number of new restaurants, cafés and bars. Island Bar is also a neighbour of the Alexandra Theatre, making it an ideal stop for pre or post-show tipples.
Expect a tiki-tiki theme, as the bar lives up to its name to the max. Billing itself as ‘a tropical cocktail paradise’, it’s heavy on the bamboo and Hawaiian theme, but in a fun way that manages not to be tacky.
Head up to the Tiki bar, where the signature drink is the Mai Tai (£7), and with excellent reason – it’s a totally addictive and expertly mixed blend of three barrel-aged Plantation rums, curaçao, almond syrup and lime. Island Bar is a bit of a rum expert, stocking no fewer than 50 varieties of the Caribbean elixir.