Bar Opus

The palce has a nice bright interior with plenty of seating and a large glass front looking onto Colmore Row. Despite the modern open layout our group felt relaxed and intimate, with no overpowering music in the background we didnt need to raise our voices to be heard.
A nice little place to start an evening off, with a selection of promotional offers on drinks to get the night started.

Although I’d attended a Unilocal event here I hadn’t been since.
We went for a drink on a sunny Saturday and ended up staying for two! It was busy outside, which has a lovely seating area. This will be really nice when the construction around the area is finished.
Now, the cocktails– when we visited there was an amazing selection of £5 cocktails. What an amazing bargain! The ones I tried were really good– crowd pleasers but with something a bit different.
I’m looking forward to going back for food and more drinks and spending more time at this fantastic bar.

The staff are incredibly friendly and cater very well to all needs. The food is really good and has been each time I visit. I rally enjoy trying a new thing every time I visit. I need to visit and try their famous cocktails.

It has until recently been a bit tricky for the city’s professionals to find a place for post-​work drinks. Yes there have been plenty of pubs in the business district, but they’re of the sticky carpet variety generally. Over the past eighteen months though we’ve had open three super venues that offer something for everyone from the secretary to the CEO — Pure for craft lagers and beers and an airy industrial loft feel, Bureau for fancy cocktails and architectural glory, and now Bar Opus for wine, beer, dinner, and chic décor. From the team that brought you Restaurant Opus and Café Opus, Bar Opus is a fashionable addition to the business district offering food and drink from dawn to dusk, and onwards to bedtime. We’ve done some very thorough (hic hic) research on the bar, and the food menu so thought it was time we filled you in.
Let’s start with Breakfast. We cycled in to town one cold Saturday morning in December to meet the Bike To Breakfast bunch to have a fry up. I ordered the full English (£9.50), obviously. The fried egg was gooey and seasoned with glistening sea salt crystals, and the tomato and mushroom were tasty (and they’d cored the tomato which is a big tick, I don’t understand chefs who insist on serving me tomato core — who wants to eat that!). The main event though of the full English was the bacon, a fairly hunky slice of gammon that had a lovely smoky bacon flavour. It also came with two types of sausage, one with brown sauce in it which I particularly liked, one with black pudding. We thought the toast was a bit disappointing but we’ve been told since by recent patrons that we should now expect lovely artisan stuff. We also tried the poached haddock brûlée (£8.50), a cheesy creamy sauce with smoky chunks of haddock and a golden grilled top.
Throughout the day there are a variety of dishes on offer including devilled kidneys (£7.50), slow braised pig cheeks (£10.50), and crab linguine (£12.95). In to the evening you can nip in and as well as the normal menu you can have a sharing plate, meat (£14.50), fish, and veggie. We stopped by for snacks with friends and tried the blue cheese arancini (balls of risotto breaded and golden fried) with a hot mustard dip (which my friend thought was too hot, but I’m sure they could offer something else if asked). We also had the sliders (mini burgers), and a meat sharer plate. All good. Chef Gareth will be happy to advise what specials are on, and the lovely waiting staff including Sofia will serve you even if you’re being a prize pillock (yes, tipsy obnoxious businessmen who were sat at the kitchen bar, I’m talking to you).
Obviously after a hectic day in the office, or Saturday shopping, a drink or two is required. They won’t disappoint, whether it’s a cool Bar Opus lager, a glass of wine from the wide selection, or a fancy cocktail from the list or made specially by head barman Sam. They are also one of the few venues that now serve the local Langley’s No. 8 Gin which has hit the global spirits market by storm getting a 4.5÷5 from Gifford’s. They have a range of homemade syrups and infusions for your own special cocktail to be invented — maybe a seven layered tall drink with candy cane pink syrup. Some of the cocktails we had have been really super and easily some of the prettiest in town, do try and go off menu for something really exciting. While you’re spending you can also save by getting one of the Bar Opus loyalty cards, and ours is already mounting pounds.
There are a number of places that I classify as my favourites and this one has already made the list. Well done Irene, Ann, and David for pulling off another successful venue.

Breakfast Review (St Patricks Day):
Today, I was told that it had to be a Full Irish breakfast at Bar Opus, a very modern, chic establishment strategically placed right in the centre of the business district and next to Snow Hill Rail Station.
I have been here before and had a good breakfast. It was good, like many others. Today, however, I had an excellent breakfast.
Featuring 2 sausages, (1 a black pudding sausage, 1 a traditional sausage), which were both very good. You don’t get bacon here, you get a wonderful baked ham. You are also served Black Pudding, (excellent), the more unusual white pudding, a fried egg, Beans, (separate), a flat mushroom, a half tomato and what I thought was a potato cake, but was told it was an Irish bread, (a farl). It was lovely. The additional bonus today, celebrating St Patrick’s day was a bottle of Guinness!
It was served promptly. It was hot, the ingredients were obviously very high quality, the service was excellent too. What’s not to love.
In summary: Nearly the perfect breakfast. Definitely as good as the best you can buy in Birmingham. ⁹⁄₁₀.

I love this bar!
It’s grown up, sophisticated and elegant, the staff are super friendly and great mixologists.
The cocktail menu is really good and they will prepare cocktails that are not on the menu too.
Price wise it’s good value, they are I think a little cheaper than some other cocktail bars, about £7.50 each on average (4 drinks cost us £30)
For a Friday night just after 9.00pm it seemed quiet, I hope they had been busy earlier, with us being the 5^th table, so three other couples and a crowd of girlies won’t pay the rent there, but it did mean we got first class service. The outside area is so pretty all uplit greenery on the walls, it’s going to be fantastic in the summer months.
This is a great bar for couples and groups alike and is definitely our new favourite place to come on date night.
Less lively than Gingers bar, but that meant it was cosy and intimate, a great date destination. Although I’m sure it will get busier as time goes by, it’s just a little tucked away but well worth a visit, especially if you are hoping to impress your date.
We shall definitely be returning, for us it’s a perfect destination, literally 2 minutes walk from snow hill station.

Nice simple open plan. The Pure draft is a great bavarian style beer and the house red is very quaffable.

My first visit to Bar Opus was also my first Unilocal event. Cocktail evening with Langleys Gin woohoo. It’s a stones throw from Snow Hill station in an area that is mostly offices, so it’s perfect positioning for after work drinks or a lunch snack. Beers, wines or cocktails and snacks or meals. Looking at the food and drink menus I would say the prices are very reasonable. There’s outside cover for the smokers and inside there was a warm atmosphere and the staff were very friendly and helpful. After our gin cocktail master class we were served snacks which were very tasty. I will definitely be back to sample some more. We were told there will be cocktail and chef classes coming up and I’m sure they said Friday nights is live music night.

Easy to find, just stumble out of Snow Hill station, turn left, and keep walking. The outside is inviting, the inside is small and bijou, and the atmosphere invites mingling. Smokers are out of the rain.
There’s a long bar and a fantastic array of booze to choose from. My favourite rum was there, and my even favouriter was on the menu, but alas, when Daniel got there, the cupboard was bare…
I was able to sample the general wares from the kitchen which smelt, looked and tasted divine. I look forward to coming back very soon and sampling the rest of the menu.
Try: the service! The whole experience is awesome.
Consider: Spirit and mixer cost less than a fiver, but YMMV with other drinks. Colmore Row has its share of banks and cashpoints, which you will definitely find handy.

Bar Opus at One Snowhill is the 3^rd member of the Opus family, joining the original Opus Restaurant at Cornwall St and Café Opus at IKON. It is marketed as more of an business type bar, mostly due to it’s positioning in Colmore Business District at One Snowhill. Offering food, a variety of wines and a concise selection of cocktails.
I’ve been a couple of times, for a Birthday and for a networking event. The bar itself is nicely decorated and the staff is very attentive, well mannered and know what they are doing. It’s a little on the small side, so be aware if you’re planning to bring a big group as seating is very limited. It’s also not somewhere you would tend to walk by so you have to plan to go if you’re not a suit on Colmore Row.
All in all it’s a welcome addition and something the Snowhill area of Birmingham was sorely lacking and needed; Somewhere to go for a nice business or casual lunch or to unwind after work for a cocktail or glass of wine, or two.

Bar Opus is the newest member of the Opus family, and the newest kid on the block at the shiny new One Snowhill development. I visited at the weekend for a friend’s birthday party, and I was pretty impressed with what I saw.
First off, the bar is very stylish — encased in glass and metal and full of chic furnishings. The suitably well stocked bar sits at one end of the space, with an open kitchen in the opposite corner and comfy seating looking out. The view of the living wall that runs parallel to One Snowhill from inside the bar is really attractive, especially when its lit up at night.
Bar Opus promises a new and open kitchen style, where the chef will prepare dishes and then serve them on colour-​coded plates, indicating price, for customers to graze on as they like. Unfortunately the kitchen was closed on my visit, but I’ll definitely be heading back to try the food.
The kitchen may have been closed, but I certainly tried my fair share of cocktails. You can order on or off the menu — the bar staff all seemed to be knowledgeable and happy to help. Of the cocktails I tried (Blueberry Collins, Autumn Bellini, Blood Orange Mimosa…) the Blueberry Collins was probably my favourite — really tasty and refreshing.
Bar Opus is definitely geared up for a business crowd, and it is perfectly positioned in that regard. It’s location at Snow Hill does make it remote from other Birmingham bars, however.

As threatened in my previous review, I have now returned to Bar Opus, after hours. The atmosphere was great; buzzing but not intrusive, and most of the time we were able to hold a civilised conversation, even with the trendy soundtrack that sits behind the later openings of Bar Opus.
The cocktail menu isn’t vast, but is well executed. As is often the way with Opus, quality over quantity. We went for a couple of platters made up of the bar bites. This was a great way to keep us all few whilst sampling across them menu.
So, another successful trip to this latest venture. Now all I need is to test that a la carte menu… ;)

Classy, smart addition to the Colmore Business District– try the Gentleman’s Martini and/​or the Blueberry Collins. Excellent venue for the birthday drinks we attended — perfect for pre drinks before you head elsewhere or ideal if you prefer to settle and make a night of it :)

Positioned in the Snow Hill development, Bar Opus is the sister venue of Café Opus and Opus restaurant, which have become a staple of Birmingham’s dining scene for the past few years. I actually heard about Bar Opus from a friend on Facebook, posting that they are attending the opening, so I arranged to meet Vicki and Dave M for a drink and a catch up and was mutually suggested to go to and give it a whirl.
Whilst I had an OK experience at Opus previously, food was overpriced for what it actually was, not the greatest in Birmingham but definitely not the worst, so wasn’t expecting massive things. We sat down and attended to by a waitress who was very keen to explain to us how things worked and what went on in Bar Opus — every two minutes actually.
Drinks prices where reasonable and the atmosphere very friendly, much of an after-​work-​beers kind of bar rather than a place to take a date.

Opus is a buzzing little chain. Opus restaurant is one of the ultimate fine dining experiences in the City Centre, Café Opus offers a reasonably priced alternative to the restaurant (offering a range of drinks, snacks and meals) and now Bar Opus joins everything together with this brand new suave offering in the Colmore Business District.
Bar Opus officially opened to the public last Thursday. I was excited to go and have a peek, so arranged to meet Jord for a drink there to give it a test run. We met at Snow Hill Station (with Dave M.) and wandered over to have a nose. Firstly, it might seem a bit of a strange place for an evening venue. One Snowhill is mainly offices, rather than leisure offerings, but that’s why this is the perfect place for the bar. Whilst the nearest establishments aren’t far, there isn’t anyone offering the same service, ambiance and feel as Bar Opus in the immediate area around the train station. It’s also been set up with the tram systems in mind, to create a kind of european café vibe (where you can grab a bite to eat and a beer/​cocktail whilst watching the world go by).
The exterior is welcoming on a cold, wintry night. With it’s bright lights shining out of the floor to ceiling glass windows, it would be difficult to resist popping in if you worked in one of the offices in the area. The interior is sleek, simple and smart. With it’s black and white theme throughout it has an elegance which carries between the three Opus venues. It’s also worth mentioning the music in the background. With a mix of jazz covers of popular songs and a hint of classical, the music choices were well pitched to create an ambience to go with the surroundings.
We ordered a round of drinks and took a couple of snaps. As we managed to snag a table (this was around 5pm), we had table service throughout our visit. Our Waitress was helpful, smiley and attentive, without being at all intrusive. We were bought over some complimentary pork snacks straight out of the kitchen during our visit. I’m not sure if that’s standard practise or just as it was the first day, but they were sensational. Light, packed with flavour and a very promising introduction to the kitchens at the venue.
The longer we stayed, the busier the venue got and the more we were tortured by the smells coming out of the kitchen. Although we didn’t partake, the menu seemed reasonable for tapas style dining (with small plates being priced at £4 to £6). We ended up having just a couple of drinks before it was time to head home.
Now, the rating. Why isn’t it 5*? Simple. The cost. This isn’t going to be my regular, but I would definitely have meetings here and visit on special occasions. It’s not «remortgage your house» expensive by any means, but three and a half pints of Thatchers Cider, a single gin and tonic and a bottle of fizzy water came to £25. I visited again the next day for a meeting and sampled some of the cocktails, these were priced at £9 per cocktail. You get what you pay for with Bar Opus. Sophisticated surroundings, fantastic service and a great range of drinks (the cocktails were divine), it’s just a little out of my «every-​week» price range.

Bar Opus is sat on the ground floor under One Snow Hill which is fairly new office block. It has high ceilings and a row of tables by long glass window.
There’s is an open kitchen with prepared food ready to be picked up and a long bar. We were given table service and I’m not sure if this is a regular thing or because it was quiet and the first day.
I really liked it here and I’d love to have a group of after work business people to hang about with to bring them here.
The business district has just gotten a lot bigger.