Reviews The Plough Harborne

A pub on the outskirts of a city that is renowned for having some of the best food in the country has its own firm stamp on Birmingham’s culinary map. Established now for 15 years, The Plough is one of the most popular gastro food spots in town, and is currently ranked at #52 for all restaurants in Birmingham on TripAdvisor. Many a good word has been said about The Plough in Harborne… one too many to ignore. I’d spotted a photo on Instagram by The Plough posted in November of their Boca Grande Tacos. A choice of spiced pork, chilli battered cod, buffalo chicken, bean chilli or slow cooked chorizo available on Wednesdays.

Our plans had taken us to Birmingham in January and as it was a Wednesday we thought it would be the ideal time to check out The Plough’s tacos. When we arrived we couldn’t see them on the specials or on the main menu, so Mr R asked someone behind the bar. Unfortunately we were told that they weren’t available during the winter months, so no tacos today. No tacos, no problem…we decided to stay anyway and see what else sounded good. The daily menu offered plenty of options including the small and large plates, pizza (2 for 1 on Mondays), burgers and Cuban sandwiches. The specials menu on the wall in the bar area gave some extra choices too.

To cure my hankering for tacos, the Plough nachos (£9.50) were the closest thing available and we both fancied trying a pizza. Mr R went to the bar to order and came back with my diet coke and a Chase smoked Bloody Mary. If you haven’t tried it, the Chase smoked vodka is incredible. I bought some for Mr R at Christmas and ever since we’ve seen it on a menu he’s ordered it with a Bloody. This one came fully loaded and Mexican style with a pickle, chilli and lemon garnish. It was a real livener with a punch hard enough to throw you right out of that hangover and back into a drunken stupor.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that £9.50 seemed like quite a pay out for a plate of nachos, and you’d usually be right, however the Plough nachos were colossal and easily enough to share for 2 people over lunch. A mountain of homemade tortilla chips came covered with a spicy beef chilli – the kind where the meat is ground so finely it’s almost like a delicious, thick meaty soup. Cheese sauce had been smothered on top and finished with a garnish of sliced jalepenos and red chilli. In opposing corners was a big dollop of chunky guacamole and fresh soured cream to cool everything down a little. Absolutely nachotastic!

Some like it hot and we certainly do, so we went for the fiery ‘Nduja pork, fresh chilli and caramelised onion pizza (£13) from the selection of meat, fish and vegetarian options on the menu. There is also calzone and you could choose your own fillings for £12.95 or as part of a deal with a draught soft drink for £9 if you order between 11-5pm Monday to Friday. The 2 for 1 pizza deal is only available on Mondays (all day), so we just had the one this time. One was enough though quite frankly along with our nachos.
The pizzas base was thin, crispy and cooked without fault. There were no burnt bits to ruin an otherwise good pizza and no soggy middles, just a flawlessly cooked base. A thin layer of tomato sauce coated the dough before generous helpings of nduja pork, fresh chilli and caramelised onions had been scattered all over the canvas. The cheese was still bubbling where it had just reached the correct temperature to melt, but again not spoil. Each bite was a hot mess, but in a very good way.

Having expectations can sometimes disappoint. You wonder should I have taken someone else’s advice on where to eat today? What if they no longer serve what I was there to order? Is this really going to be as good as they say? Then sometimes those expectations can be exceeded and it’s even better than you’d imagined, just like mine were on the day we visited The Plough in Harborne. Believe the hype, order the pizza and could someone please tell me when the tacos are back on the menu because I’d love one of those with a Cubano on the side – thanks

Such an easy place to eat and drink with family and friends. The garden is lovely in summer. The food is consistently good and the staff are really friendly and helpful.

Not only was The Plough visually pleasing but so was the food and it did not disappoint.
We came here for a quick breakfast out of whim only to be left in awe with the quality of our food as well as service. Although it was on the slightly pricey side, I had The House Breakfast which was £10.50, it was very much worth it as the food was superb, especially the homemade beans!

This is the most amazing restaurant in UK that I know. Whatever u get u always have guarantee it will be delicious, made with love and always the same great! And they have Pilsner!! Also there are special days with 2for1 for pizza and burgers which are both awesomely tasty. And their broth...oooh

Best pub in Harborne. I really like this pub and here is why.
The beers are excellent and the wine is good quality with a selection to choose from.
Good atmosphere, always friendly, never any trouble.
Food is great and good value.
Decent regular barstaff though they are sometimes too busy chatting when they could be serving.
The owner (name unknown) is a very likeable gent who leads by example.

Too many children during the day, Sunday lunchtime is like a creche. It would help if some of the urban trendy parents tried to control their brats a little better.

Lovely Sunday Lunch. One of the best Sunday lunches to be had in Birmingham! The other food is also great. The only drawback may be if you are not overly fond of a lot of kids in the pub.

I realise that I am sticking my neck on the line by calling The Plough outstanding, but believe me, it really is. They have done what others neglect and grasped the basic needs of the customer. The beer and wine selection is current and well kept. The service both friendly and unobtrusive. They make you feel valued, which is an achievement in its own right, given the piss-poor service too often encountered from across a bar.

I have nothing but praise for The Plough.
Fantastic, reasonably priced food - served quickly by friendly relaxed staff.
Although large, there's a homey atmosphere - and they have spared no effort on the details!
A great place to come with a group, on a date, with a friend or to take the parents!

Went to the Plough in Harborne for a quick dinner. The place was very busy but we got seated quickly. The menus has a good variety of food and drinks. Decided to have some pizzas. They were very tasty and it was obvious the dough was fresh. The plough has different offers throughout the week like two pizzas and a bottle of wine for a good price and others. The staff are friendly and efficient. The only downside was that at the table we were sat one of the chairs was like a little lounge type of chair that wasn't the most comfortable to sit and have dinner. Maybe just for quick drinks. Other than that very nice experience and will be back to try other things off the menu. Update: Went again and tried different dishes, everything was delicious, portions are big. Didn't have room for dessert. Staff was as lovely and helpful as the previous visit

Lovely evening! Came here last night for belated Birthday meal with a friend. On arrival, as it was my Birthday celebration, I got a glass of prosecco which is a really nice gesture. We were seated and the waitress bought over a glass of water for the table. Drinks order was taken quickly and when the Drinks were bought out, we ordered food. We both had the Cuban sandwich with fries (chicken) and it was amazing! Service was quick and the food was hot and fresh. The Paprika sauce that came with it was lovely! Overall, a lovely evening and I would highly recommend! Great value for money and all the staff were great. I will definitely be returning soon!

This is the epitome of not letting the outside/ cover mislead you. I've never thought to go in but wow was I amazed when I did. The decor, the ambience, the warm welcome, the friendly staff, everything was lovely. The Plough is staggeringly large inside, and has so many different nooks and places you can be seated to suit any big or small dining/meeting event. The menu is fab and has a large variety of options; they're brilliant at catering to all sorts of dietary preferences, and all reasonably priced too. Will absolutely be visiting here a lot more now.

I came for lunch on a busy Monday during half term with my parents. My father is a wheelchair user and my mother is partially sighted. When we arrived we needed to use the side entrance for the wheelchair and by the time we'd walked from the front door to the side door one of the staff was already waiting there to greet us with a big smile. We hadn't booked in advance but the staff found us a great table. I felt that nothing was too much trouble and every member of staff we spoke to was particularly thoughtful. Many thanks to a great team.

Went for brunch. Really good quality food and the filter coffee included was great. Staff were helpful and the toilets were immaculate. We enjoyed using the tablet on the table to order...it was simple and efficient. Would recommend and will be back.

Once you get your head around the Menu do check the time on the Menu. The food was very good. The service was good. The Plough is a very popular local place. A nice feel to the place.

Service was superb, even during a busy Sunday. Very accommodating for me and my two daughters. Food was excellent and portions generous. Would recommend 👍