Barbara's Bier Haus Birmingham — Restaurant in Birmingham

BCU Burlesque performance at Heidi's Bier Bar

Dreadful experience. arrived for a show early to ensure a good seat, informed by staff that doors were not open yet and escorted to the bar and told they would come get me when the doors opened. They never returned.

The doors were in fact open for everyone else that arrived so that by the time I made it into the venue most seats were taken.

Seating is arranged on two opposing sides of the performance area, I presumed the performance would be arranged so that these two seating areas would be the wings facing the performance at a slight angle. Instead the performance was arranged so that performers only performed to half the audience with the half where I was seated being behind the performers and unable to see anything other than their backs, and not even that much of the time as the centre of the performance area is completely obscured by a large wooden support pillar.

The show itself seemed of very poor quality with the host not engaging with the audience at all and simply announcing next performer. All performers seemed to be in very plain near identical costumes not the glamour and glitz usually found in a burlesque show.

Stayed for 30mins whilst finishing drinks then left at the first opportunity.

Having attended burlesque shows from Newcastle to Bath I would rate this as the lowest quality I have ever seen and would suggest avoiding performances by Birmingham City University Burlesque until things drastically improve. Whilst not a professional troupe they also rate poorly when compared to Nottingham Trent University Burlesque troupe who put on a far more glamourous and glitzy show with productions that are comparable with professional troupes.

As to the venue it would probably be a good venue for live music but avoid any visual performances as there is a good chance you will...

I came here last night looking forward to a good time with friends, but unfortunately, my experience at the bar left me disappointed.

I ordered a Guinness and a Coke, and noticed the bartender picked up a glass that was sitting right next to a visibly dirty one. Out of concern for cleanliness, I politely asked if I could have a fresh glass, as I wasn’t comfortable drinking from one that had been placed so close to used glassware. Instead of a simple accommodation, the bartender insisted the glass was clean and offered to show me CCTV footage to prove it — which felt defensive and unnecessarily confrontational for such a minor, reasonable request. I then spoke to another staff member, who explained that clean glasses are kept on the side of the bar. While I understand that's the system in place, the bar was extremely busy with many dirty glasses being returned, so it’s not unreasonable for a guest to question how cleanliness is maintained in that environment.

What really surprised me was that neither staff member was willing to simply change the Coke I had just been served. It was a very small ask — one that could have easily been resolved with a bit of understanding and flexibility.

In hospitality, especially in such a vibrant, high-traffic venue, going the extra mile matters. A guest asking for a fresh glass should never be met with resistance or defensiveness. It’s the little gestures — showing empathy, accommodating small requests — that turn a standard experience into a memorable one.

Unreasonable hospitality isn’t about doing the bare minimum; it’s about anticipating needs and making people feel cared for. Unfortunately, that mindset was missing during my visit.

I hope this feedback is taken constructively, as I’d love to see this place live up to its potential with service that matches the energy...

Terrible experience. We arrived at the entrance after midnight with a pre-purchased ticket, which clearly stated that entry was guaranteed until 11:30 PM or after if capacity was still available. However, we were told that we needed to repurchase a ticket because entry was only allowed before 11:30 PM (the wording on the ticket was unclear, and capacity was indeed still available as people were still being let in).

Once inside, the venue was extremely overcrowded. We were constantly pushed and shoved, and the number of people on the dance floor was far beyond a safe limit, making the place unsafe.

Finally, at around 2:30 AM, while dancing, someone in the crowd threw a heavy plastic cup filled with ice, which hit me directly on the head, leaving me with a bump the size of half my head. The choice to use heavy glasses in such a crowded environment significantly increases the risk of serious incidents like this.

Overall, the staff was very rude, with the exception of one security guard who was the only person to approach and help me after the incident with the glass. The organization of the venue was highly questionable, as it was clearly overpacked, and serving drinks in heavy glasses in such a packed space should not be allowed. This is a basic precaution any venue should take when operating as a nightclub or hosting such...