The Vine in Dudley - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Just visited 16th August 2024 for lunch and a few beers. Friendly Staff, Great Real Ale, Great lunch at very reasonable prices. Would recommend and visit again.

I love the Black Country because of its history and its people But I have to say the great pubs are probably the best in the country because of their honestness, history and character. The Bull and Bladder is one of the greatest because of beer quality, great basic food and brilliant knowledgeable staff. A must. !!!!

The Vine Inn also known as "The Bull and Bladder" the Batham's Brewery is in The Delph in Brierley Hiĺ, not far from the Merry Hill Shopping Centre. There is ample free car parking opposite the Vine on the other side of the road. This proper Black Country boozer is like stepping back into the early 20th century with dark wooden, old fashioned fittings and the bar and lounge off a central corridor and a large outdoor seating/smoking area at the back. The clientele is older men in cloth caps enjoying their pints of Batham's bitter (the pub's signature drink, brewed on site). I prefer the sweeter Batham's mild. A pint of Batham's mild and a half of cider was less than a fiver....great value. Onto the food which for me is the Vine's crowning glory. The Vine only serves food between noon and 2pm on weekdays and no food is served in the evenings, mind you there are tens of cobs and rolls in a cabinet in the bar for those who need some food to soak up the beer in the afternoon and evening. The food itself is ordered at the kitchen entrance where there's a display of the pies made with beef and Batham's gravy in a tin foil tray. There's also a pork or steak sandwich and a HUGE Ploughman's lunch for £4.50. The pies are £5 and the sandwiches £3.50. You pay for your food at the kitchen entrance and are given a numbered ticket. You sit down either in the bar, lounge or outdoor area telling the waiting staff whereabout you are sitting. We both had the big Ploughman's lunch for £4.50 which comprised 2 slices of either granary or white crusty bread, a great hunk of mature cheddar cheese, a large piece of boiled ham (vegetarians can ask not to have this), lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, silverskin pickled onions, beetroot and Spanish onion. One slight quibble they forgot my Branston pickle! Friends have had the pies which come with fat chips and mushy peas and the pork sandwich both of which they said were excellent. I have had 2 Ploughman's at the Vine now and must say it's THE BEST Ploughman's I've ever had!

Went with some of my family enjoyed our time there

Bathams original pub where the beer is brewed in the adjacent brewery. I was filled with a sense of excitement as I approached the pub, the anticipation was high. Upon entering the pub I walked through the door on the right into the small bar at the front. Friendly locals discussing daily life over their pints of frothy foamy goodness. My pint was positively glowing, it glistened in the day light and was majestic it's appearance. Their bitter is classic, very malt forward with a nice sweetness from the malt sugars. A little hop bite and a touch of diacetyl. I stayed for a pint of mild and that for me was about as good as a mild could ever be. Creamy, sweet, full body and mouth feel, Moorish and effortlessly drinkable. The sense of history and importance in British brewing can be felt here. Wonderful enrichening experience that I won't forget

Great place. It feels like stepping back in time .

Great pub with a great atmosphere. Feels like a pub should!!!

Lovely afternoon in the beer garden, great atmosphere...

A fabulous lunch of faggots, chips and mushy peas for £5.50. Home made Bathams steak pie at same price was delicious! Cobs - largest I’ve had were superb ( cheese and onion amazing!) for £2.20. Beat that ? Of course the main reason for coming here is the wonderful Bathams bitter and mild. Simply a real Black Country gem without lovely staff.

This pub is not your typical boozer.. it's lovely in here with a real homley feel always made to feel welcome and everyone talks to eachother. The food it out of this world with a nice but simple menu.. proppa black country food and cheap as chips.. also deffo recommend the steak and ale pie 👌 Bostin!

Lovely pub, amazing old building with great heritage. Check out the old bar in the back room!

I did a day trip from London to visit the Vine - known as the Bull and Bladder - such as its reputation. The menu is simple: cask mild or cask bitter both brewed next door by Bathams. The beer is in perfect condition. The food and drink is very cheap too. A word of advice, Google Maps says this is a 35 minute walk from Cradley Heath station but it can be fine in half that.

Delightful pub. Very reasonably priced drinks. The decor is lovely and the pub is spacious. Excellent cobs and dog friendly too.

Best value for food and drink, great atmosphere

Great beer in iconic surroundings. To be fair it's looking a bit shabby these days However. The best bitter is still only £3.65 a pint!! What more can I say?

Great pub, friendly and helpful staff fantastic beverages. What's not to like.

First time me and the wife have ben today for lunch got to say one of the best lunches we have had and affordable prices beer is alo amazing will be back.

Great value food, quality beer.88

Enjoy great beer and cheap food in a cozy atmospheric pub

I wish I lived closer to what I consider to be the best pub around We visited again today and as usual the bitter was spot on and the food was great value and the quality was as good as ever . Please buy a pub in Burntwood Daniel

Beautiful Black Country Beer. I loved the smooth Bathams bitter that goes down a treat.

Great beer. Good food. Love the place.

Superb example of old fashioned local with lovely Bathams beer

What a pub; hot pork sandwiches and chips makes your mouth water. Staff so obliging nothing to much trouble for them. And the best old fashion prices. What's not to love. Will definitely go again

Lovely old pub, lots of little nooks

Bostin beer great wholesome food

Friendly, welcoming, suites most tastes. Especially when bands play. Fantastic lunchtime food in week. No matter what room you choose you are always welcome by patrons.

Great pub with great ale...cobs and scotch eggs were excellent....truly a must visit, if in area...or even if some effort is involved.

The Black Country's temple for real ale.(In my eyes) Superb pint of Bathams bitter with Black Country hospitality and a true pub atmosphere. Food to die for!! What more do you need for a Saturday afternoon of social banter with the family.

Best cobs and best beer brewed on the premises. What pubs were like and should be like 👍

If you are lucky enough to know Bathams beer you might also know this is the pub attached to the brewery. It's a throwback in time - a classic black country pub with lots of separate seating areas. Go for the beer, the traditional pub food and the Bathams legend!

Been here many times during the evening for a pint but never during the day. Arrived at 11:55 on a Wednesday and a queue was already forming for the 12:00 opening time. Lovely proper old pub selling quality beer and food at decent prices. Try the pork baps they were lovely.

Great beer, good band, enjotable afternoon.

Nice place. Nice big cobs on sale here too.

Excellent ..try their food amazing prices....!

Do not do food in the evening. If you are lucky as the cobs are so good you might drop lucky and get one xx 😘

Great old pub, great beer. Reasonable priced.

Best cobs around, very good value for money & brilliant pint of beer.🍺

Very pleasant. As pub should be. No slimy marketing people corrupting it

Beautiful trip into the past Boston ales to boot

Bostin beers and not changed in 30 years

Always excellent Bathams Bitter top class. Good meeting place to catch up with an old friend. Good filled baquttes good price to soak up ale. Real booza with real folk not 4 the trendiest. Sat in garden in warm sunshine in mid Feb. Amen

Proper old style pub last of the real pubs in the black country unfortunately but it does serve the best ale out of the black country bathams and is still brewed on site

Looking for an inexpensive hot meal and beer prices that won't give you indigestion, the Vine is the place to go. Approach with the expectation of an honest pub with honest fittle and beer and you'll not be disappointed.

Perfect pub, excellent beer and good local pub food. Bathams pubs usually offer snacks, but here you can get cooked meals. Great beer. Had a fascinating chat with the Bathams sisters.

Great traditional Black Country pub

The home of bathams. An original pub. Just how pubs used to be. Still family owned after 150+ years. Don't expect thrills, but do expect a proper pub.

Very busy with local business... brewery on site bitter was fairly bitter but the mild great flavour and a touch of bitter sweetness great bap's and pork pies 🤗

Fantastic pub great atmosphere and food

Old worldy traditional brewers pub

Absolutely amazing place with its atmosphere, delicious wine 🍷 and foods!

Great Pint of Bathams Best and excellent Pork Pies.

An old school pub, great aie and food and we lobe it here. Nothing not to like.

Used to visit this lovely pub before lockdown and went yesterday to renew my acquaintance again. The food is as lovely as ever with a choice of hot and cold food. I chose one of the massive ham cobs with a side salad which I think cost me £2.60! Just unbelievable value for all of the food. I arrived at about 12.45pm and it was absolutely rammed,so try and get there for 12ish if you want to eat,it may just be a good bet to avoid having to queue. Left with a takeout of a corned beef cob and a ham and tomato one and a pork pie to savour later. This is the Batham's brewery pub with plenty of rooms to sit in and eat your meal. Fantastic place and staff really friendly even though they were very busy. Would not hesitate to recommend.

Fantastic pub to go with girlfriend and friends, no trouble ever. Cibs are gorgeous. 🍻🍻🍻🍻👌👌

Absolutely solid pint, great prices and friendly staff probably my favourite pub in the west Midlands

Love my local bathams, great bitter & the cobs are iconic, would love a tour of the buildings 🤟

This legendary bathams pub in the heart of the Black Country is in my favourite top 10 pubs in the whole of England. The vine (Known locally as the bull and bladder, it used to be next to an old slaughterhouse) is a long pub with an ornately decorated exterior, with a Shakespeare quote "blessing of your heart you brew good ale" on the edge of the roof. It has a very traditional front bar a larger room at the back with traditional serving Hatch. It serves excellent beer, bathams mild and best bitter. It has lovely homemade traditional food. It is dog and child friendly, and has its own car park. Regularly featured in The Good Beer Guide. Highly recommended.

Good bitter ,great atmosphere fab cobs .pork pies and scotch eggs

A special pub in the Black Country serving a great bitter and an award winning mild. We tried the bar food, but the pork pie and the scotch egg were top quality.We had a very warm welcome and were soon chatting to the locals. It's a great pub, don't miss it.

Lovely old fashioned pub with fabulous food! Faggots, pie and other hot dishes are to die for and so easy on the pocket. A selection of hot and cold cobs too that are more like mini loaves and full to bursting! I'm not generally an ale drinker but a cob and a pint of bathems can't be beaten 😉

Fantastic traditional pub , great staff and amazing food and exceptional good value.. loved it .

Classic Black Country pub with excellent Bathams Ales and wonderful lunchtime food including terrific value cobs.

Beer is excellent...food incredible value

The greatest beer served in a fabulous pub. Just wish i lived closer!

Quiet afternoon drinks with friends🍺...cobs were delicious & good value for money..👍

Went to the vine for a fund raising event. It was great. We ate and drank there as well as participating in the fund raiser. The staff were very efficient and very friendly. The cobs are great very filling and the ale is to die for! Be back soon.

Great beer great beer and great black country fodder

Lovely place to visit good food and good drinks nice friendly people and staff

Great pint of Bathams and friendly staff 👍

Nice place with a great selection of beers

Lovely traditional pub! Absolutely loved my visit. Would have given 5* except for the huge number of children running around despite it being 10pm on a Saturday night.

Great food, very clean, lovely staff 😋

A bostin pub, great beer, atmosphere and food

The beer and cobs compliment each other in excellence

It’s ok, pity you have to order from the hatch in the entrance when drinking in the back room, especially as the back room has its own bar.

Brewery tap, typical bathams pub

Great "old days" pub. They do a mean pork bap and faggots with chips. Reasonably priced and big portions too. Real ale is also great

Great traditional pub beers are top notch 5 star and food is outstanding value well worth a visit if you can get in lol 😆

Absolutely unbelievable value for money. We had 2 cobs which were huge and a portion of chips for £6.60!! Yes £6.60!! With a lovely pint of Bathams and a Pepsi, just over £11!! Will definitely return

No finer place to enjoy Bathams! Just wonderful...

Very popular great pork pies scotch eggs and faggots lol

Love it! Like going back in time - traditional pub, good food and Bathams ales!

Great Pub! Great Beer! Nice lunch.

Cosy clean and well run with good staff Bathams beers tasted as good as always Pop in if going past

Lovely staff .Great food ,Only problem I don't like dogs in places where people are eating especially when people don't have animals. Dogs should be in another room when people are eating puts people off .

Start by calling it by the name everyone knows The Bull and Bladder and you will get more reviews

Fantastic band playing Saturday night by the name of INSTINCT

Fabulous place and lovely beers!!

Fantastic beer 🍺 Cobs and pork pies are great too 😊

Always busy and that's not surprising

Best cobs in the world...Steak and bathams pie is highly recommended

Sarah Hughes Ruby Mild is the best ale out. Trust me. 2nd visit to the Vine. Locals are very friendly and very talkative. Really old fashioned brilliant pub with a few rooms you can sit in and have some privacy. Every time I'm in the area, I'll call in.

Proper old pub, good beer, good food, some staff need to smile though

Just what a grown man's pub should be

Hadn't been for 4 years but beer still good and nice atmosphere

Hasn't altered much in the 30+ Yrs since I last went. Local Institution.

Great ales, great pub food, terrific value and a great pub. The brewery tap for Bathams.

Great food and drink. Fantastic landlord and staff.

Great pub, great beer and tasty cobs! Dog friendly and loads of parking