Al ARABI GRILL HOUSE — Restaurant in Birmingham

Is this the best halal lunch option in Birmingham city centre? Read to find out

Having found myself working in Birmingham city centre after a decade or so, I was looking forward to exploring the wide range of halal food lunch options. I visited many which I will review but having come across Al Arabi, I was most surprised.

Finding my way there after a 15 mins walk from my office, you are surprised with how big this place is from inside. It seems like it can cater for the whole Muslim population in Birmingham with vast seating inside and for the vape addicts outside.

The menu is vast with so many options but I stick to meal deal 4 which is chicken steak that comes with a portion of rice and fries! This must have really awakened the carb lovers! I pay £10 and take a seat.

As there is unlimited complimentary tea on offer, you can see why the students flock to this place with an average time of 7 mins between a person getting a refill.

Upon sitting, you are served a free soup with bread and some salad which is presented like you are in a Michelin star restaurant.

A few minutes later, the mains are served and you are looking at a really generous portion of chicken with rice, fries and salad.

The people who devour sauce like it’s water, there’s a bottle of ketchup and mayo at each table. However as a man of taste, I avoid those and take a bite of the succulent and tender chicken without any condiments (apart from the sauces on the plate). The food is cooked well and you can savour the charcoal flavour of the chicken in your dry mouth after a good few hours of being in Teams Meetings.

I devour the whole thing and the 15 mins walk back to the office helps digest the food.

it’s not the cheapest if you compare it to a £3 Tesco meal deal, but certainly a lot better, fresher, healthier and of...

(2023/04/14) Another visit today, got shocked to see the same restaurant had turned into a grill house. No more Tagine, but Pizza! No more Tush Tush, but Grilled Kebab!

No more big deals, but the prices are still reasonable. Pizza? Unavailable. Baklava? Unavailable. I mean, come on then why making your menu larger? In the end, I ordered a Mix Grill Platter. All 3 grilled kebabs I ordered tasted okay, but no more than that. And the waiting time became longer comparing to Tagine or Tush Tush, took me 18 minutes to get my platter when I could only see fewer than 10 customers in the restaurant.

Every time you made a change, it could be positive or negative. This change is definitely negative to me. Previously, their Tagine and Tush Tush were very unique and tasty. After changing to this fully new menu, the identity has been lost. You could easily find another restaurant that sells similar items nearby, I mean only tens of metres away if you check on the map... The food quality has unfortunately deteriorated as well for me, nothing magic enough to call me back. Might go again later, but still a sad story.

(2022/10/02) Have 2 visits already, overall very positive and satisfying.

The menu is relatively limited, it will not take too long to decide your dishes. Meanwhile, just because they focus on those limited dishes the service speed is really quick. For the dishes, very good quality with big portion. At the moment, there is an opening sale. A Spaghetti only costs £5 and a Tush Tush with Chips or Rice only costs £7. After my experiences, I think I'm absolutely fine with the original prices. With the discount, just amazing. A new restaurant, usually not very busy. There are many seats inside and outside the restaurant to dine in. Friendly staff and good...

In the heart of town (Birmingham City Centre) within Martineau Place, opposite Shawarma City. A quiet Monday afternoon in the midst of the heatwave but a few tables occupied. A huge amount of dining space, both indoors and outdoors. The interior decor is amazing and spacious. The outdoor seating adorned with flowers beneath the huge shading umbrellas of Martineau Place. It has a foreign feel, as though you're dining in an Arab country. Great scenery, quiet spot (above the high street) and great for both small and large groups. The customer service was excellent and greeted with a smile. They accept both cash and card payment. The hygiene and cleanliness is 5 star. There were 8 menu items with a combination of chicken, meat and veggie options. All meals come with an Arab style bread with a choice of chips or rice. In my experience, the limited menu options is a great sign of carefully designed dishes that fail to disappoint. I ordered the Chicken Tush Tush on a bed of rice with bread and chips ordered as extra. It was piping hot, full of flavour, authentic and I rate it 9/10. I aim to revisit to really...