Purnells Bistro in Birmingham

According to bbc website done a runner with customers money from vouchers they can longer use at another restaurant he owns that has gone bust. Classy guy

Absolutely fantastic tasting menu. The evening is one we will never forget, really memorable dishes. We thought it deserves more than one Michelin star comparing it to other restaurants we’ve visited with more than one. We will definitely be back to Purnells.

This was brilliant, the service, the quality. This is a must return to if I'm ever in the area again!

Excellent Food ! ... Service very good 🤓 We felt on arrival not quite as a warm & friendly as expected, back in 2010 our welcome was exceptional. Staff excellent otherwise 😎👏🏻👍🏻

Excellent lunch and very friendly service; we had a wonderful time.

I’ve tried repeatedly to speak to the management about this incident but I keep getting ignored so I’m just going to post it here, Twitter etc. We visited Purnells back in June - the food was great. However….. A senior member of the staff made at best an off coloured remark, at worst a pretty derogatory racial comment about another member of staff. He made the comment to me - presumably because he thought I’d find it funny - I didn’t. It kind of ruined the rest of the evening for us as it upset the member of staff - who I felt obliged to tell, and left us all feeling a quite disappointed in the overall experience. Not to mention the fact that I personally then finished the evening (after paying the £600+ bill) by reprimanding the senior member of staff privately- who had avoided us for the entire arrest of the evening. But I could leave without least letting him know how upset we were at his behaviour.

Absolutely wonderful. Everything was as hoped for and more. The added bonus to wonderful food wine and staff, was listening to the expert knowledge of the sommelier. Definitely going again and would highly recommend!

Had a 3 courses - lunch on the 21st aug 24. We found a piece of plastic (i guess souce wrapper) in the additional dessert we paid 12£ for:) but i was too shy to say anything and just left it on the plate hope they noticed it. Codd dish souce was too acidic to our taste, we really liked the bread, butter wasn't waw, The seafood was fabulous, but the lamb dish was just medium, i didn't like that big tomato piece. The desserts were the best from all dishes. They also forgot to give us the coats when leaving, i mean.. there were just a few people that afternoon

Pretty much a fine dining expert at this rate. I heard of this place and knew I had to try it - crazy I’ve been working nearby for 9 years and just tried it. The foods phenomenal, extreme talent has gone into the food here and you can tell. Brilliant flavours, unusual but fantastic mix of foods that just worked. Great presentation also and the staff were amazing - special shout-out to Jash/Jesh and there was a lovely lady attending to us also! Nice interiors, although seemed slightly dated - wondered if this was the point? I love that you can see the window in the kitchen - very ‘The Bear’ vibes also saw Purnell in there which is always nice to see! Brilliant food, they had a good festive menu deal on! Great value for money, lots of courses and additional gifts. Highly recommend this place - it’s no surprise it’s Michelin star! Just superb flavours! I was very surprise by how nice the drinks were also! Not just a food place! The burnt egg surprise is perhaps the best pudding I have ever had!

My wife and I booked a table for the Saturday lunch service, to have the tasting menu. Everything about the experience was fantastic, the food was incredible, the service was impeccable! This was our first experience of a Michelin star restaurant, and it far exceeded our expectations. The servers were attentive, polite, and all had perfect timing, and we were both made to feel like highly valued customers. We were blown away by the food, it was creative, technically complex and exceptionally presented. We’ve now caught the bug for fine dining, and shall be back soon! Purnell’s is highly recommended. If you’re looking for a Michelin star experience in the Midlands, this is the place to go.

We have been fortunate to visut a number of Michelin starred testaurants. The food, atmosphere and staff are exceptional here. Definitely going to return when we can. Thank you for an incredible evening.

Yet another wonderful evening! Great food, beautifully prepared and presented. Superb service from a lovely, professional team. Only suggestion (!) it's about time that GP switched up the 10/10/10 dessert. It's still good, but 15 years on, it must be due for a change.

4.5/5. My friend and I tried their 3 courses set menu. It is an interesting experience, definitely a fine dining experience. The price is a bit steep so I would recommend it if you are really into very fine dining with quality pieces. I personally put 4.5 stars as it’s great but not my type of dining. The place is nicely looking, comfortable. The staff pay great attention to making sure you are having space and a great time.

An excellent start to my daughters birthday celebrations shared with three friends. We had the seven course taster menu which was a great experience. Service was excellent and we were made to feel very special . Thank you to the whole Purnells team.

Outstanding restaurant 💫 Amazing place 🤩😊

We’ve just left Purnell’s, having had the most wonderful experience. Jash was everything you’d want from a host - warm, welcoming and hilarious. The food was incredible and we’d thoroughly recommend the wine pairing; it was so well worth it. Thank you for a lovely afternoon - hope you enjoy the Armagnac!

I have lots of weird allergies (oral allergy syndrome) which makes me a very awkward customer. The staff were all amazing, made me feel safe whilst trying the superb menu. Looked after us without being over the top. Fantastic experience.

A perfect fine cuisine with proper introduction from the sommelier and server. One of the brilliant experiences that I’ll remember for a while. Bravo.

Wonderful food and excellent service from the very knowledgable and passionate team!

The food here is excellent, and we had a wonderful evening in the private dinning room!

We had a fantastic evening everything about the restaurant was faultless. It is expensive but we think we'll worth the price for the exquisite food and service. The wines went beautifully with the food.

I celebrated my 70th birthday this year and my son treated me to a Michelin star restaurant lunch for the first time in my life. What a special day it was from the staff,the food ,the atmosphere and even bird song on the way to the facilities. Thankyou you all so very much. Such a special day which I will never forget

High-end restaurant. Food quality is superb. Service very enthusiatic and informative. I would pay 20% more for 20% more food! Soft drinks are too expensive.

No words really for the food other than sublime, really beautiful and simple ingredients taken to another level. Asparagus will never be the same again for me. Wonderful. Lovely friendly staff loved our sommelier he was such a delight and his passion shone through and really made our meal.

Always amazing! Staff, atmosphere and of course the food are brilliant. Highly recommended, very special! 10/10/10 😀👍

This was a wonderful culinary experience. The food was excellent coupled by excellent service by the whole front of house team. The flavours and presentation of the food was exceptional. It was truly one of the best experiences I have had. Well done to the chefs for making my birthday dinner very special for me.

Food and service was incredible. Loved every minute. Staff were amazing!

This is our third Michelin restaurant we visit and unfortunately we are bit disappointed. We expected much more then average food ,we got little bit more then average. Snack gifts from kitchen not very interesting,bread and butter only 2 types,1 ok another just butter, cod tasteless.Mushroms were very nice,Asparagus were nice,Pistachio desert also nice.The rest that we had from lunch menu was nothing special unfortunately. Also the policy of 1 menu per table seem to be strange,menu not very clear.

Had a fantastic experience for our wedding anniversary meal at Purnells. Great food, nicely presented and friendly attentive service. We had the tasting menu and it was difficult to choose a favorite, each course equally delicious and bursting with flavours. We had a glass of champagne and a bottle of wine rather than the wine flight that were both also very nice.

Tall European gentleman with spikey brownish hair and glasses is incredibly rude. He seems to be some sort of head waiter or bar man. Found his attitude a bit disrespectful as if he thinks he's better than everyone else. Needs knocking down a peg.

Went to try tasting menu for wifes birthday. Great service, very attentive but not intrusive - and the food was amazing.

Yet another amazing dining experience at Purnells. The food was exceptional, and the wine flight superb - courtesy of an extremely knowledgeable & good humoured sommelier! I highly recommend and have already booked in my next visit.

Fantastic private dining experience

Wonderful staff and service. The food was excellent, and I highly recommend the taster menu.

What a lovely experience. The food is amazing, so tasty and full of flavour. The staff give really great service and the sommelier introduced us to some interesting wines with the wine flight.

Amazing food and service as expected. Always great for special occasions

Everything is perfect at Purnell's. Service is friendly and professional, food is top drawer and some great wines too. Can't beat it for a special occasion.

Lovely food with just enough of an experimental twist. Great wine pairings and reasonable value for the class of dining. Chefs table area in bar at front of house, though, is a bit of an odd setting. Felt slightly tacked on, sitting seeing everyone coming and going. Would opt for main room dining next time, I think, though it was genuinely nice to have all the lovely kitchen staff explain each course.

Top restaurant. Individualistic. Will be back.

Absolutely stunning! We have been lucky enough to visit a few Michelin star restaurants and this was my favourite menu by far. The front of house staff were fantastic, Adrien sat with me and went through the tasting menu to substitute dishes that weren’t appropriate as I am 20 weeks pregnant, nothing was too much trouble. My bespoke dishes were amazing. Lovely to be able to see into the kitchen and see Glynn and the team. Would definitely recommend

Wonderful food..the flavours and tastes!! Well worth going

We had a high expectations in regards to the food, as to be expected from the Michellin's star restaurant. Food was good, but not excellent, with an exception of the desert (Burnt English egg surprise 10 10 10) - 10 out of 10 for us. We were very surprised to see the bread and butter, that was literally just 4 slices of bread served with two types of butter (one of them was not to our taste). I would say, it would have been OK as a side, but not as a course. We also did not like the snack, that was brought to us while waiting for the table. The staff were friendly, we found the stories interesting and each dish was described, however some of them spoke very quietly so we didn't get the full details with all the courses. They were however very polite and made us feel welcome. We were asked if we wish to have a still or sparking water at the table and we were given the wrong one for the entire 3 hours. It was my birthday and it was noted, I have received a complementary dessert that was nice but not amazing, but definitely a nice touch - thank you. Wine was very good, although pricey (we went for by the glass option). Overall it was a nice experience, but we won't be tempted to come back, unless for the desert only. Our bill for the tasting menu, two bottles of water and 3 glasses of wine was over £370.

Enjoyed an excellent lunch yesterday (14 December) easily one of the best meals both my friend and I had had. Staff were all professional, polite and knowledgeable with a special mention to the wine waiter for his upselling. Who can turn down a bottle 4 times the size of the one originally suggested! All in all a wonderful 5 star experience which is thoroughly recommended. Cannot wait for an excuse to return

Overall a very disappointing experience. The theatre of it was the only good part but they didn’t even get that right half the time, they kept making silly mistakes like they brought us the same course twice and when they brought the dessert they were meant to pour something over the ice to create loads of smoke but the jug was empty and they had to go back and fill it, so embarrassing. Some of the staff were pretty rude and could barely hear what they were saying. As far as the food goes I’m a trained chef and some of the dishes were good but for that price they should have been excellent, on nearly all the dishes was something overpowering that ruined the dish. The main course was the worst it was just a piece of venison with red cabbage it didn’t even have any sauce or a puree, it was so plain. How the heck did purnel won the great British menu by serving a bit of custard in an eggshell for a dessert?I wouldn’t waste my money on this restaurant.

Making a special time with my son on a visit from australia fantastic more lovely memories to keep! beautiful food and such lovely staff! Grandaughter loves your book and it has travelled across to be enjoyed as much as the food ! Good luck to you all there for the future ! Just wonderful!

From the moment you enter the premises, the quality of service and attention to detail are second to none. The staff are amazing and well-informed, making you feel very welcome and are a credit to the restaurant. The food is out of this world. We went for the tasting menu and were blown away. Highly recommended.

We went for the tasting menu, service was excellent, as expected ,and the food did not disappoint. Expect to spend around 3hrs. Lovely atmosphere and wine also very good. This is a top end restaurant, so expectations are always high. On par with Adams.

We're fortunate to have such excellent restaurants in Birmingham. We chose the tasting menu as it's so special. Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling great and almost cancelled the booking. I'm glad we went as it being my birthday it made the day very special. I wasn't keen on a couple of courses but with such variety you're sure to like most. I love the theatre too with the dry ice vapour and the attention to detail of all courses. Who would think that Marmite and Honey butter could taste so good!

Celebrated our wedding anniversary at Purnell's and had another great visit. The staff always give excellent service and this was no exception. The food was again delicious, and the atmosphere was special without being pretentious. The veal sweetbread was a standout dish for me, and I adored the honey and marmite whipped butter that came with the bread. Mint Choccy Chip continues to have a very special place in our hearts too. Thank you, Team Purnell's! Keep up the excellent work!

Exceptional service and outstanding Cuisine

Michelin star restaurant with excellent food. Atmosphere can be improved (we got seated in front of a wall while there was half empty room)

Superb food yes it’s not cheap but it’s excellent never tasted food like it before

Fantastic experience. We were on the chefs table, with the chefs coming to tell us about the different dishes and the stories behind them. The service was fantastic and the food was beautiful and delicious. The highlights were the creme brulee in an egg shell, edable "charcoal" which was black savoury meringue and potatoes, and a delightful monkfish dish.

Amazing, booked by my partner for my birthday, food was fantastic and technically amazing

We enjoyed an exquisite tasting menu for lunch which didn’t disappoint. As you’d expect the service was on point from the moment you enter and we really felt like we were being looked after in a friendly, efficient way and not overbearing or contrived. Course timings were spot on - not too slow and not too quick, giving plenty of time to savour the last dish before enjoying the next. As we were driving we can’t comment on the wine pairing… not this time anyway. The restaurant had a really pleasant, relaxed and fairly informal feel about it, but the star for me was the Mint Choccy Chip. Definitely thought the menu was priced appropriately and thoroughly enjoyed every mouthful. Highly recommend treating yourself.

Good, but slightly last decade! Booked ahead and paid in advance - seems to be a trend these days! Very smart premises, welcoming reception, professional & attentive staff. Fairly classic tasting menu, not sure about the burnt offering from the kitchen, we prepared presented, etc. No apparent emphasis on regional or seasonal though. Slight issue with the wine but sorted out quickly by the manager. A pleasant evening but slightly reminiscent of dining out 10 or so years ago.

Food was good but the service was very lacking. Service was slow and one of the waiters was quite rude to another customer and clearly didn't know what he was talking about. Sashimi salmon dish had a bone in it and no apology from the staff

Tasting menu was divine - loved every single course. The food really was incredible. It would be 5 stars but the interior / decor is extremely dated and doesn’t match the quality of the service or food. We also had two drinks added to our bill which we didn’t order, which you wouldn’t expect to happen in a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Great service and friendly staff. They were very accommodating to my wife's dietary requirement. Food was fantastic. Flavours were outstanding, especially the tomatoes that went with the beef! The charcoal gifts from the kitchen was so creative and delicious.

Lunch Chefs table. A restaurant that's been on our list for a long time. When we saw they had a last-minute cancellation for the chefs table, it was the ideal chance to push us to go. The table was booked for 12 midday. We arrived 5 minutes before and thought we'd be first in. How wrong can you be. We were the last to arrive as all the other guests were already seated, sipping on the complimentary champagne cocktail. Once seated, you get the chance to see what delights are on the menu. It's a combination of the current season and dishes in development. If we could have designed our own menu,this would be it. Snacks Salmon tartlet & beef carpaccio roll. Heritage tomato salad Cornish lobster-tomato consume-burrata Maybe the star of the show😋 Glazed BBQ chicken wing Green celeriac - mushroom - truffle Brixham cod Basil emulsion-courgette tagliatelle- clams Rack of pork Mijote of beans-kale Chocolate and cherry choux bun All this for £60 was an absolute bargain. The whole experience was amazing. With it being a shared table, you can chat to fellow diners and swap stories of other places visited. It was great to see Head chef Luke and his team come out of the kitchen and serve their dishes. Who needs waiters? Front of house team were lovely though. We would highly recommend a visit here. Can't believe it took us so long. Oh, and they've got one of those ⭐️

Tasting menu superb with excellent service. Lamb Caesar sensational! Wine combination perfect. Will be back!

Wow, incredible experience and the staff are exceptional. The food is unreal.

Purnells in Birmingham We went for the 10 course tasting menu for a friend's 30th birthday, youl only see a few of the items because of the insta limit The edible charcoal was rather intriguing, thankfully it was just the look that had similarity to charcoal, it actually tasted like a prawn cracker but did stick to your teeth so water was a must The highlight was the lamb neck which was cooked to perfection and accompanied by a garlic drizzle Fine dining is all about flavour and Purnells didn't dissapoint, the service was spot on and very informative, the only downside was I was expecting a little more ambience given it is a Michelin Star, the mixed grill like tables and hotel like carpet sadly wasn't giving me those vibes I would definitely recommend as an experience and it scores 8/10 on the #RineshRatings

Chose the 5 course graze menu for lunch. Every course was sublime, rich in flavour and beautifully presented. Wine pairing I asked for with the lamb course was spot on. The pace at which the courses came out was also perfect, giving us time to digest and also chat relaxingly in between. Also witnessed manager Adrien going over and above his duties to help out an elderly couple. Bravo! Edible charcoal gift from the kitchen a triumph.

Absolutely amazing food, fantastic wine and lovely staff. This is now my restaurant of choice. It's just great!

Consistently high quality for sensible price. Great, attentive staff. Lovely time and highly recommended.

Absolute, 5 star dining experience 👌

Last Thursday evening my wife and I took her mother to Purnells for an event with Glyn and Michel Roux and had a fabulous time. From the moment we arrived ( 30 mins early) we were made to feel welcome, it was like going next door to a friends house! The whole atmosphere was buzzing, the food, as you would expect, was exceptional and the 2 chefs were relaxed and full of laughs, even when my 90 year old mother in law was making such a fuss of Michel ! Thank you to all the staff you were brilliant Peter & Yvonne Viggers and Mom in law, of course

The menu at Purnell's showcases the culinary genius of Michelin-starred chef, Glynn Purnell. Each dish presented a harmonious balance of flavors, innovative combinations, and stunning presentation. The menu offered a variety of options, including vegetarian and vegan choices, ensuring that all guests could indulge in the culinary journey.

One of THE best meals and overall experiences we've ever had. Simply outstanding!

Staff were very attentive and friendly. We got the five course grazing lunch menu and loved every dish. Excellent flavours. Absolute star of the show was the raspberry dessert 6 different ways.

A fantastic experience, true food theatre

It's just the best dining experience ever. Just book an enjoy

A wonderful meal and experience. Thank you.

I had a nice evening at purnells. The Food was delicious and it was a good experience. Even though the courses went a Bit too Quickly for me.

Great time, some lovely and well thought through dishes, came in a group of 8 and we were well accommodated

Lovely lunch - 5 course tasting menu didn’t disappoint- staff are amazing - food is great - well done to all the team - Manager and Somellier made us very welcome - great work from all involved Thank you

Felt like a bit of a trope of higher end dining.

Very helpful with gluten free and dairy free options

I absolutely love this restaurant. Perfection. The theatre, the service, the wines... Fabulous. You get what you pay for xxx

Plates By Purnell’s is perfect in every way in my eyes. The team were perfect. A lovely little restaurant with, a great atmosphere, plus mind-blowing flavours. Ella, the waitress is perfect. Attention to detail. I made a rookie mistake of not ordering bread to mop the juices up. She politely come over and asked if I’d like some at the perfect moment. I think she knew I was about to drink it from the dish it was that good. “Croquetas de queso” Cheese croquettes I’m addicted to crisps, this dish reminded me of cheesy puff crisps. “Gambas al ajillo” Prawns and garlic Just beautiful. The only thing missing from this dish is being next to the sea with waves crashing on a Spanish summer evening. Back To Brum “chorizo con sidra y miel Chorizo with cider and honey Now the sauce with this compliments the chorizo. I even used it with pork. If ordered them for dishes, I highly recommend bread. “pomo en adobo” Marinated pork fillet This one was okay but didn’t excite me like all the others. Thou using the cider & honey sauce with it was good. “Calamares” Crispy squid Cooked perfectly. “Bacalao” Cod, cucumber and guandilla salsa SHOW STOPPER. This is just wow, chunks of cod with an insane sauce.

Words just don't sum it up. Just go and try it..... Take ya wallet.

Always a wonderful experience. Great food, great service. It's just what you'd expect. Brilliant!

Prunells has an amazing, quiet atmosphere perfect for a romantic night or a special occasion. The staff were really friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. The food was great but not phenomenal, and the menu felt like a love note to the nostalgia of growing up with British cuisine. As someone who doesn't have the level of nostalgia, I felt a little out of the loop, but it was still overall enjoyable. If that sounds like your cup of tea, then Purnells is the place for you!

Came here for my 50th last weekend always wanted to try a mitchelin star restaurant had the tasting menu and was blown away with the flavours of the food .from the moment I walked in I was made to feel special and the staff was so friendly and professional.

This is one the best restaurant of my life. At the time I am writing this Purnell's only has 1 Michelin star but in all honesty the food is better than some of the 2 Michelin star I visited. I expect them to gain a second star really soon !

Amazing experience! Great food and service.

Brilliant food, great food tasting experience

Five star dining in a relaxed setting. Michelin star food

From the moment we walked in the door to the moment we left, the whole experience was amazing. The manager greeted us and was friendly, welcoming and really funny. The waiting staff were all impeccable! The service was like nothing I’ve experienced before. Every single member of staff took time to chat to us and made us feel so welcome. One particular member of staff (unfortunately I didn’t catch her name) was brilliant. She even ordered me a cocktail which isn’t on the menu yet, after we got chatting about cocktails. She was genuinely interested in how we were enjoying our evening and the food. The food…WOW! The tasting menu was so delicious. We loved the theatre that surrounded each dish. We were lucky enough to be served one of our dishes by the Head Chef, Luke, which was a real treat. We thoroughly enjoyed dishes that we wouldn’t ordinarily choose and we loved every single one. The whole experience was just lovely, the ambience, staff, food, all of it was amazing and we will definitely be back.

A delicious experience! We went as a Christmas gift to each other and it was money well spent. Incredible service and a memorable night of wonderful food in a comfortable, unpretentious atmosphere.

A special occasion, Purnells food and wine was excellent. A shout out to Oliver, a young lad who waiters. Oliver was passionate about the food as if he owned the place, sharing all of the stories behind the dish and he deserves the recognition for being the most vibrant person in there. The staff were all professional and lovely but they didn't show much character. We were disappointed with the decor, it certainly needs a refresh and the mixture of patterns is quite upsetting after a bottle of wine. The pigeon and langoustine were divine and the gifts from the kitchen were supberb. I do wish there was more meat on the menu and texture. Everything seems very smooth, but that's just my personal view on the dishes. Oh and my husband was very upset you used fake mint on the dessert! An experience overall.

Exactly as expected , absolutely faultless from start to finish , will be going again

Excellent food ( as normal) staff extremely efficient and so friendly. Would recommend this venue to everyone.

This experience goes beyond great food (even though the food is amazing) and the service is out of this world. I can really recommend it!

Very average service with an average tasting menu. This is the 2nd Christmas meal we've had here now. The first time was a bit special with all the theatrics and fantastic service (they used to have a BRILLIANT, Polish guy who was front of house). This time was far less impressive - the menu doesn't look to have changed at all from last year, plus i found it rather bland, and service was very poor. The guys and girls explaining the food mumbled and spoke so quickly you couldn't understand a word they were saying... Plates were put in the wrong place, water was spilt all over the table, the champagne was served at not far off room temperature, no Sommelier to explain the wines being served - we saw the front of house guy early on, but he disappeared half way through not to be seen again. Plastic/fake mint served with one course... why would you not just use the real thing? However, the most frustrating thing... this was a works Christmas meal in the private dining room with 10 people (paid for by my family) - at £120 per person, PLUS: a magnum of champagne, probably 6 bottles of wine, 4 or 5 glasses of port, 2 or 3 cheese boards and hot drinks... I'll let you do the maths, but the bill was considerable to say the least. Early in the night my step-mother requested if 'chef' (Purnell himself) could come and make an appearance as THEY think he's the best thing since sliced bread. We were told he was VERY busy as the place was full (it wasn't), but he would try his very best to get out later. The private dining room has a TV with cameras that link to the kitchen... let's just say that they all (chef included) found time to stand motionless watching the England v France game, but couldn't find the time to come out and pass on his thanks and appreciation for the business. When asked apparently he had to leave for a family commitment or some nonsense. Disgusting to be honest. I, personally, won't be eating here again and will be advising others don't too.

We have been here a few times now. The football was on and service seemed to suffer a little. Small details were missed, minor service issues, the experience was lacking, at this level you expect very high standards and from previous experience this not met. Yes the food was great, a performance in some cases, see attached picture.

Lovely food and excellent, attentive service 👌

Top 5 meals ever. Really friendly attentive service, great food and drink. Even lent us an umbrella!

Unbelievable value at lunch time - genuinely faultless all round.