Red is a hidden den of intimacy and Shangri-la style. Come here to worship the god of cocktail on Temple Street.

The Venue
Red is the ‘barman’s bar’ and where Brum’s catering staff tend to gather after a hard night’s service. It helps that the guys here also run the Birmingham Association of Bartenders. You duck down a staircase off the street to descend a few steps in order to enter the world of Red Bar.

It’s not a big place but it’s every inch the bijou cocktail bar with a split-level layout and colour scheme of reds (naturally), creams and metals. You’ve got a curved white ceiling studded with clusters of tiny pin-prick spotlights. The tables and stools are low and sleek and there’s a mirrored wall as well as angled mirrors behind the big, wide, deep sofas and burgundy ottomans.

The stainless steel-topped bar is on the lower level and you’ve got dinky black cocktail tables with round red placemats in the middle and lit candles. The walls are adorned with framed pictures of rock, pop and soul stars such as Paul Weller, Marvin Gaye and Liam Gallagher. Music is a big part of the party here and covers most of the bases but always with groove.

The People
It’s generally a 25-plus party crowd who come here and it has been the scene of some legendary parties and launches. Anyone who's ever worked in a bar knows that bar staff can drink, party hard and generally get messier than the people they serve and this sets the tone for Red. The staff are friendly and personable and the mood is uptempo. And, being petite, it’s a great place to mingle.

The Food and Drink
On draught there’s Beck’s, Staropramen, Guinness and Leffe and in bottles there’s Peroni, Castel Cru, Budva and Carlsberg Export. But it’s really more about the spirits here. Cocktails are around a fiver and include blends such as Reservation, which is Woodford Reserve Bourbon, apricot and bitter and Bombfire which is Bombay Sapphire, elderflower cordial, kiwi schnapps and fresh mint. And it’s £6.95 for a bellini.

There are half a dozen whites and half a dozen reds and they're all available by the glass. And food includes gourmet sandwiches like jerk chicken in kiwi and mayo for £5.95. You get free Indian tapas with any drink between 6pm-7pm.Not a bad deal…

The Last Word
One of Brum’s best bars — and it's a hidden gem to boot. Many a fine party has been thrown here and you feel there are many more to come.

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