The Farm Inn — Restaurant in Metropolitan Borough of Solihull

I can't over-emphasise just how much I like this place.

I took my girlfriend along for drinks and dinner on a week night, and was immediately struck by how pleasant the bar is. The ambience and atmosphere are instantly inviting; it oozes cosiness and warmth.

For example, many of the bar tables are made from barrels, which is a lovely touch. The whole place has a very nicely done rustic vibe to it, without feeling kitschy or overdone. It's the kind of place that makes you wish it was freezing outside so you could order a hot chocolate and sit by the fire.

We were greeted swiftly by a friendly guy who explained that there was a particular menu in the bar area, but a more full menu in the main restaurant building. This was a pleasant surprise as I hadn't realised there was another building!

So we had a very reasonably priced drink in the bar first, which again felt very inviting - and the beer was decent and clear.

Walking to the restaurant building took us through the outdoor area which has plenty of nice seating and table options, plus patio heaters. We both commented that it'll be a lovely place to sit in warmer months.

Entering the restaurant, I immediately grinned as it's exactly my kind of place. A beautiful big barn conversion, with a lovely bar trimmed with bark-covered wood, a mezzanine level at each end should you wish to eat there, more barrel tables and high stools, some more traditional seating but again nice rustic wooden tables, then a seriously cosy snug area with some sofas.

It had a superb atmosphere without being noisy. We both commented all night that the music was absolutely on point and set to a perfect volume so as to be enjoyable but not intrusive.

My only possible criticism is that some of the tall bar stools have nowhere to rest your feet. I'm only 5'9 and this got annoying quickly so we grabbed different stools.

We each had a salad, and some sweet potato fries - these were utterly perfect. Decent portion sizes, clearly fresh food and well presented. Pricing was appropriate.

The ice cream dessert we shared (the one with dark choc and caremalita ice cream with toasted marshmallows) was unreal and I want another one right now.

The staff were all attentive and sincerely friendly and definitely added to the experience - they're a credit to the establishment.

We then sat on the sofas for a bit and had some peppermint tea. Such a nice way to wind down after a nice meal.

100% will be going back. Easiest recommendation I've...

Four of us dined at The Farm Inn on Friday evening booking an outside table. The service and atmosphere was brilliant. I am a local and have visited many times over the years. On this occasion the food was good in general however the portion/pricing on the pea & courgette fritters is nonsensical! It costs £15.95 as a main or £8.95 as a starter. For our starters since we were pretty hungry, we ordered it as a main alongside a main portion of the aubergine and tofu bao buns and the poke bowl. When the food arrived we were perplexed. There were four of the aubergine and tofu bao buns, which is what I would expect for a main. However there were only three for the fritters, and the fritters themselves are small in size. I asked our server if the order was correct, as it looked more of a starter than a main. The server advised that she did place the order as a main but would check with the kitchen staff. She soon returned to advise that the starter portion has two fritters and the main has three. I gave a puzzled look as the maths makes no sense. If you ordered it as a starter it then means it is £4.48 per fritter (£8.95/2) but ordering it as a main would be £5.32 per fritter (£15.95/3). The aubergine and tofu bao buns are exactly the same price and four arrived as a main which makes sense when two would come as a starter. We later ordered as mains the mushroom and aubergine pizzas which were tasty and the gnocchi, which was way too doughy but the flavours were interesting....When the bill arrived I brought up the portion/pricing issue with the fritters to the server and added I am disappointed to be paying this part of the bill when I am not happy about it all. She said she would give feedback and said it was completely understandable. I would generally feel inclined to speak to the manager however since my father was with me and suffers from severe anxiety I knew that by doing so would completely ruin the evening. Overall it meant that an evening which otherwise would have been enjoyable since our server was lovely, the atmosphere was great, and in general the food was good, meant we left feeling unnecessarily...

The Farm continues to impress me with its excellent menu choices, reasonable cost, and chilled vibe. I also have to mention that the two times I've visited in the last 2 months or so, the young waiting staff have been extremely polite, attentive and accomodating. We have allergies in our family, and they always deal with it in a professional and friendly manner that gives you confidence in the kitchen. The pizzas are definitely a jewel in the crown, but I can honestly say that many of the other dishes we've tried have been to a high standard too. The children's menu is solid and the portion sizes are generous. I do have to mention that both times my youngest daughter has ordered what's described on the menu as 'ice cream with cookie' but both times getting an Oreo, is quite an annoyance. Let's be honest, an Oreo is barely even a biscuit, let alone a cookie!. If I'm honest I'm nitpicking here, but many children must utter an "owwwww" when they see that. The cocktail menu is also very good and my wife certainly enjoyed the 2 for 1 deal (untill the next morning at least, when she very much cursed the offer). Parking is ample and easy to access and the grounds, building and pub garden are also very nice. This is basically the perfect place for either hastily random drinks after work, or a planned meal out. It only looses one star due to a couple of menu inaccuracies and I'm probably being harsh, but I'm sat in an un air conditioned building in 30° while I'm writing this, so I'm feeling...