The Wilderness in Birmingham

Gastronomic experience like no other. It’s hard to describe eating here because it’s a unique experience. Some of the best flavour combinations I’ve eaten and I didn’t even know what most of it was. All I know is that service and standards were great, and the food was even better. Not for faint wallets but definitely an experience to try once in your life.

The vibe of this place is very different from most fine dining restaurants The place has rock music quietly playing in the kitchen The team are very chilled and the food reflects the theme It is high quality with lots of odd combinations which work It os a far cry from the hushed,reverend ambience of other fine dining places All the guests are relaxed and smiling Again dietaries are observed perfectly The highlight for me was the peaches dessert that just had a summery smell and tasted delicious It was a memorable experience

What an evening! The food was world class, varied but even the courses that I thought I wouldn't like were incredible. The staff were lovely and the wine list was interesting in a good way. We will be back!

As you walk down the alleyway off Warstone Lane to the somewhat hidden, and certainly understated entrance to The Wilderness, you can’t help but feel excited and intrigued. - you know before entering that it’s going to be a special evening. The setting is opulent and intimate with the added bonus of an open kitchen. The team are friendly and extremely knowledgeable. The food is seriously tasty - refined, paired back but generous too. The wine on offer is sublime; curated by the amazing Sonal Clare - a master of his craft with a unique, special, unpretentious way of communicating which brings so much to the experience. The unconventional indie-rock music does the same - it creates a distinctive energy in the dining room with plenty of nostalgia too. Alex Claridge and his team have achieved something brilliant here - all the refinement and sophistication of a top end fine dining restaurant, without the pretension. It’s unconventional, interesting and different; it’s what we want all fine dining to be like. This was our fifth visit, but with another new menu coming next month, we’ll be back again very soon. Without a doubt, The Wilderness is deserving today of a Michelin star today. Alex, Sonal and the team - thanks again for making our evening so special. All the best Chris and Elizabeth (and our guests!)

One of the best restaurants I have ever been to. Absolutely amazing from start to finish. Staff cannot do enough for you ,the soundtrack is amazingly good for us rock music lovers & even better the chefs are so talented, what an absolute joy to eat here, we will definitely be returning. Thank you for a very memorable evening x

We love this sort of food! We love rock music! And to top it off the staff were all amazing. We’ve been lucky enough to eat in many Michelin restaurants across the world and this place makes it into our top 5! Can’t wait to tell our friends about it and return. Every single course was brilliant. Many of the dishes were very clever and the attention to detail was perfect. A really good quirky wine list too. The young chef from Istanbul is a phenomenal talent and I’ve never seen a kitchen so calm and chilled with all the team clearly enjoying what they do and each others company. Don’t change anything!! We’ll be back….

What can we say that hasn’t been said before? Just sublime. Probably the best dining experience we have ever had. The attention to detail. So knowledgeable about both the food and the wine. Very calm in the kitchen )or so it seemed!) which pervaded the whole atmosphere. An absolute joy.

My friend and I booked for my 50th birthday. Unfortunately, on the day, I wasn't feeling too well and wondered if I'd enjoy the experience... but I'm really glad we came. The food was really lovely... especially the tuna dish and the sweetbread dish. The waiting staff got the balance right by being attentive but not too intrusive. They ensured you had all you needed. I'm surprised by comments about the music being too loud... I didn't find this to be the case at all! Thank you to all at The Wilderness. I wanted to leave a review as I may have seemed quiet and indifferent... but I really enjoyed the meal! And the dessert with the pear was amazing!

Wow, firstly I want to congratulate the chefs for producing excellent, tasty and delicious food. Truly exceptional. Secondly thank you to the staff for looking after us all afternoon. Nothing was too much trouble. Each course was explained clearly and passionately with genuine enthusiasm. Georgia and Francesca were attentive, friendly and very polite. A special thank you to Sonal, the sommelier, who took the time to talk to us and explain some of the basics about the wines. Finally I do want to mention “the elephant in the room” the price. Yes it’s not cheap, but, in life sometimes times you do have to admit that you do get what you pay for. Already looking forward to the next time.

The restaurant for a very special experience - rock n roll meets top-class gastronomy. The food is great, all seasonal and amazing combinations and flavours. A Michelin restaurant without being stiff. Everything is relaxed and cheerful, there is no dress code. Guests feel welcome and are served excellently. Really great staff, both in service and in the kitchen

Faultless from start to finish. We came to celebrate my daughter’s 18th birthday. We booked well in advance to avoid disappointment and paid a deposit which actually took the sting out the price at the end of the night. The setting is perfect. It’s small, relaxed and dark as restaurants go, but this creates an ambiance that cannot be compared to any other restaurant I’ve been to. The food was sublime. Without a doubt, light years ahead of the likes of simpsons. The staff were attentive, knowledgeable and friendly and Georgia absolutely deserves a raise for how friendly and personable she was. Each cause delighted, surprised and occasionally even shocked us, but to say we will remember every bloody mouthful is an understatement. Thank you for making Freyas birthday an occasion we will never forget. Especially thanks to the addition of the cup of tea!

Just the place for a tasty special treat. We had the ‘alternative luxury’ 10 course tasting menu, and thought it was brilliant. Clever, well balanced and delicious… our favourite courses were the halibut, pigeon, and cacao tart. I enjoyed trying the twisted - ‘New World, Old World’ wine, and my husband enjoyed the rum options along with the music. We’ll return!

Visited with friends fur a long overdue catch up. We chose the 10 course taster menu and it was exceptional. Every dish was excellent and the couple of dishes which I marked internally as a 4/5 were a matter of personal taste rather than flawed in any way. Everything else was a full 5/5. In fact the courses were so uniformly excellent that it is almost impossible to pick favourites. However, the mackerel with celery and grape, shiitake with bread pudding, ajo blanco with beetroot ice cream, trout with ginger, halibut with celeriac and pidgeon dishes were just sublime. I was concerned that the promised rock music might make conversation difficult, but the conversation flowed without problem. Possibly the only issue was with hearing the descriptions of some of the dishes provided by the lovely front of house staff. Service was friendly, efficient and thoughtful. We were greeted with glasses of Prosecco since I had mentioned that we were meeting with friends. One of our party had some dietary requirement and the chefs and front of house went out of their way to discuss modifications and ensure that we were happy with their suggestions. I am amazed by the suggestion that you could leave the restaurant after 10 courses needing to pop into the chippy on the way home. Yes, the dishes were small - they needed to be as there were 10 courses! We felt perfectly satisfied at the end of the meal, but thankfully without that bloated feeling when you’ve eaten a bit too much. Whilst not a budget choice, I would wholeheartedly recommend The Wilderness as an excellent venue for a special occasion.

This was a restaurant I had been looking forward to for a while. Food was good but nothing that I would go back for. I didn’t feel that it was worth the money. I wouldn’t recommend to friends and family. Service was on point.

We had a fabulous wedding anniversary lunch at the wilderness. Food was excellent with great flavours and beautifully cooked. Just when you thought you’d had your best course yet, it was bettered by the next. Real mix of foods from pork to pigeon and from cured mackerel to brill. Also had the wine flight which included goodly portions topped up as necessary. The venue is interesting - we went when it was ‘two cats’ - now black decor but nicely lit and with no windows and intended to be a fusion between music and food. The music is good (fair amount of 1980s rock) and not intrusive and does work. Staff great and got a tour of their amazing kitchen at the end of service. Biggest recommendation is that we will definitely go back (but not a cheap night out)

A refreshing change from the very formal, top-end restaurants. Amazing food, delivered with rock 'n roll vibes and not a whiff of greige decor in sight. Definitely my favourite restaurant.

We were really looking forward to our first visit. The positives: Service: The team are very welcoming, warm and friendly and explained every course. Food: Great flavours and well created but see below. The negatives: Seating: For a Michelin rated restaurant having tears in seats doesn't give a good impression. Toilets: They were just like a local pub, not the best. Food: This was our primary disappointment. Yes the courses were lovely but they were so small. Before you jump down my throat! We do appreciate fine food but after 10 courses you would expect to feel that you were still not hungry, we were! We were so tempted to drop into local chippy for a portion! To have spent £250 on food for a couple We felt robbed. We have experienced many taster menus so we understand what is on offer. Sorry, the Wilderness team, take a leaf from Cheals over at Knowle, yes a different experience but atleast there you leave feeling that you have had value for money.

We really enjoyed our night. Great combination of food that makes you smile, attentive service, cheeky cocktails, and a brilliant soundtrack. The only thing we missed was the ‘proper cup of tea’ in a squashy cup, need to bring that one back!

Love The Wilderness. Exciting, modern, cutting edge food; superb drinks offering and absolutely brilliant service.

We went to the Wilderness for lunch on the 7th of October 2023. We have been many times as it is our favourite restaurant. The food as always was superb. My husband had the Wagyu beef, I haven't eaten beef for over 12 months, tried his, and will be ordering it the next time we go. We would like to say a big thank you to all staff but particularly Georgia who was knowlegable, and pleasant and went over over and above. Once again Thank you. We will be back next February.

We've been to the Wilderness a few times over the years, and haven't had chance to leave a review, so thought I'd finally get one done! The food is absolutely wonderful. We've visited with multiple different menus of fine dining dishes with wine pairings most of the time, and our most recent visit, for my wife's birthday has been one of the best! Perfectly cooked food with an artistic presentation and the best ingredients, I don't think we've ever gone to a restaurant as incredible as here. Wine pairings are always wonderful and generous and every staff member/server always has amazing knowledge of each dish and drink. We fell in love with the place about 5 years ago; especially as the atmosphere and the classic rock playing in the background just makes the whole experience something special every single time. We always have lovely memories of visiting, especially as this was one of the first restaurants me and my wife visited when we first met. Thank you so much to all the staff for the incredible food, drinks and outstanding service we've had every single visit - we cannot fault a single thing about the dining experience since we've had the pleasure of coming here!

Another fabulous meal at The Wilderness. The inventiveness of the dishes and the flavour combinations amazing as always. Friendly service, perfect pacing of each new course and a gray playlist makes for a perfect evening

If you enjoy food you'll love it. The regularly changed menu is always super tasty, interesting and offers a huge variety of flavours to tantalise the taste buds. The care and attention the chefs give to every plate really shows. Combined with a stimulating wine...

Myself and my husband have been dying to come visit Wilderness and after receiving a gift voucher finally booked in. Our expectations were fully surpassed, the food was absolutely delicious and completely hit the spot on what we like, we were really impressed with the...

The best experience for food in Birmingham we love it! Brilliant music too, fantastic service and a pleasure every time! Couldn't recommend it enough for serious foodies.

Once again we return to the Wilderness, this time with our son who suggested we visit for the first time a couple of years ago after Alex’s appearance on GBM. We’ve now lost count of how many times we’ve been. There’s a constant innovation in...

The Wilderness is close to our home and my wife and I love going there for great fine dining. We were there for dinner on Thursday 17 August and we had the most fabulous fish dishes. We like the ambience and rock music playlist and...

I have been lucky enough to eat here a few times. My family however have just heard me rave on about the food and service. To celebrate exams, I booked us in for Saturday lunch. The resounding feedback was that it’s one of their favourite...

Booked full taster menue as a birthday treat for my husband. It was an amazing experience. Our semelier Francesco was so helpful and informative. Cocktails and wine served perfectly accompanied our menue. The music play list also to our taste and we had a great...

A restaurant that really cares about the food it serves, the creativity of their menu is its USP but the execution is faultless. Cosy and intimate atmosphere with 10/10 music - the food truly is the star of the show. This isn’t ‘just going out...

Booked here for my husband's birthday after reading all the fab reviews, wanted a night away from the kids to be a bit of a different dinner experience and it did not disappoint. Every dish was beautifully presented and tasted even better then it looked,...

The Wilderness is truly one of my favourite places to go in Birmingham. If you're looking for a quiet three course bog standard meal that costs £30 perhaps it's not for you, but if you're after innovative fine dining using interesting seasonal produce, it's a...

Most incredible experience all round. Staff, atmosphere, drinks, food, quality and value. Everything was incredible. Visited for a works leaving/birthday celebration. Every course blew me away. Staff were all so knowledgeable and friendly, wine pairings were to die for and the food just kept on...

I wish Trip Advisor had a 👎🏻 option for ridiculous reviews like the one titled ‘it’s a robbery’. It’s true that the Wilderness isn’t a place I can afford to dine out at every week (wish it were so), but it is an absolute treat...

We came to this place just because we had a voucher to redeem given to us as a gift. I wonder..when did it become the norm to charge an extortion for tapas size dishes which you can get for free with a drink if you...

My husband and I have been going to the Wilderness for the last 9 years. This evening was a rather special occasion, I won’t mention why as that’s not important in our review. Anyway, the restaurant knew why and I have to say, once again...

Went with my husband for my Birthday treat. After having contacted them previously to ask about access and being sent a very helpful and thorough email inc photos of all areas. We took an early evening slot with a great time allowance for our table....

Brilliant service and exceptional menu, from start to finish everything was presented beautifully and delicious. Would highly recommend.

Came here last night, food was amazing every course was superb. From the minute you walk to the minute we left we loved our experience. Highly recommend

A stunning meal from the Wilderness team. An inventive multi course tasting menu with a rock and roll twist. The wine perfectly complimented the food. The music (not too loud) compliments the atmosphere. Fine dining and truly brilliant service from the moment we entered through...

We celebrated our first wedding anniversary here and the whole experience was superb from start to finish. Great choice of dishes well executed. We didn’t have the wine pairing but looked at the menu and some very well chosen wines available. The staff were friendly...

From the moment you walk in - you know your in for the best night - service was amazing & food was out of this world. Love the vibe & the music- such a special night - you are our new favourite dining experience &...

We ate here last night for our wedding anniversary, the food was outstanding, we had the extended tasting menu. For me the best course was the carrot 2023, a total flavour explosion. The service was exceptional and the staff were all really knowledgeable. Sadly, the...

Many other fine food choices in the city, but this is by far the best. Inventive, superb quality, fantastic service and an ambiance we have never found in any other fine dining restaurant. Highly recommended.

A huge massive thank you to Sonal for been well just Sonal beginning to end we felt so much love the service was impeccable Amy was another massive glow of the evening. The food was like some I’ve never tasted before it was of a...

Attended one of the Wilderness x plants evenings. We had high expectations as we've had excellent food here pre-pandemic. The music on the evening was brilliant - a real trip down memory lane, however at times it was so loud we couldn't hear each other...

My friend and I were excited to visit the Wilderness for the first time for lunch. We started at 12:30 and finished at 4pm, with no hint of being made to make room for other guests. From the service to the chefs, staff were absolutely...

An excellent and memorable experience. The food was delicious, service was excellent, the facilities were chilled and spotless. Music was spot on as well. Definite recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We had wanted to visit The Wilderness for a while, and booked this about 2mths in advance so had the joy of anticipation! The meal, and the whole experience, exceeded our expectations. The food and wine were interesting and delicious. The atmosphere was fabulous -...

Fantastic evening our third visit to The Wilderness...love the soundtrack....service just right...drinks pairing gotta love someone who pairs a cocktail with fennel seeds and a carrot dish so clever and above all outstanding food loved it and will be back

Over priced, over hyped, food good not great - don’t bother Seems to see it’s unique selling point as playing edgy music while you eat Staff nice Vey unlikely to go back

If this place doesn’t get a Michelin star soon I’ll be godsmacked. Absolutely amazing food, (get the wagyu, trust me), best soundtrack - has never made my entire being so happy to be rocking out whilst eating incredible food and treat wonderfully by the staff,...

Firstly can I say how amazing the staff here are. They really know their stuff and care about the food; they've sat down all altogether and discussed the menu and it's components and actually eaten what the customers have. They are also happy to sit...

We have experienced many tasting menus at Michelin 1 and 2 star restaurants,our friends with us even the Gavroche. This was clearly up there with some of the best. The menu was innovative, really tasty . The mixed wine flight was not the norm by...

The food was insane.. out of this world delicious!! The service was exceptional ! I am currently having chemotherapy and the attention to my health requirements without making it feel like it was any effort was admirable and I'm so truly grateful. An absolutely incredible...

Love the decor, ambience, music, everything about it here - and the food is another level. Great wine list too.

Excellent, well thought out courses with both wine and non-alcoholic drinks pairings complementing the food. Both front of house and chefs team very welcoming and friendly.

Lovely staff and cosy feel in the restaurant. The food was good. We had the Friday menu with a pairing each. Drinks worked well with the food. Drawbacks from a 5 for me were that two of the courses tasted the same and the chicken...

Absolutely amazing! Venue, music and staff were brilliant. The food.....! A taste sensation, nothing was a "yeah it was okay", everything was delicious. What they can do with a 🥕carrot. Just amazing! The best place we've ever eaten (tops many michelin star restaurants)

This was my second visit to Wilderness and yet again it was phenomenal. We had the 9 (I think it was 9) course tasting menu. I opted for the pescetatian menu whilst my husband had the regular menu with addition of the wagu beef course....

We booked the wilderness the day after our wedding as a stop off on the way to York for our honeymoon. After finding the restaurant online and waiting almost a year to book it, it did not disappoint. The service was exceptional, the staff were...

Brilliant atmosphere, service and wines however unfortunately the food wasn’t for us. With two courses being “Big Mac” and “Chicken Nuggets” and two courses being sorbet palette cleansers, we didn’t find it the best value for money however the flavours were very good and staff...

From start to finish, everything was absolutely amazing! Amazing service, food and atmosphere. We had a great time.

A friend and I like to try somewhere different for lunch every 6 months or so - and when he suggested The Wilderness I was very excited. The ethos is to be f*cking fabulous - and it was from start to finish. The venue /...

Have been lucky enough to eat at The Wilderness a number of times over reg last few years, and on a recent visit to Birmingham returned for a special occasion. In the past the food has always been very good, but it seems to have...

The food is divine and the team provide the most distinctive and interesting food on the Brum dining scene. The front of house are brilliant. Nothing is too much trouble, even when you bombard them with questions about the menu, the drinks and the playlist....

Came with a friend for the 12 course tasting dinner menu. It was simply amazing. The food was interesting, creative and tasty. The premium wine matching was not cheap £175 a head) but was out of this world. Some amazing wines that were really well...

Love, love, love this place. Food is SO good. Ambience is fabulous. Service is fun, friendly and very knowledgable. Sommelier definitely knows his stuff. Music is ACE. Eaten here on 4 occasions now and have visited many Michelin star restaurants around the world and in...

We had visited the wilderness a couple of times pre COVID and were really impressed by the whole mix of food, drink and general ambiance. However, on returning today, the whole food and drink experience seems to have been elevated to a new level of...

Spent a lovely afternoon at this place today. eating delicious food along with great service! Loved all the little plates of delightful treats served on the most loveliest plates. Loved the music to enhance the afternoon. Would defo recommend this restaurant.

Destined for a star - incredible food and a wonderful team. A lovely dinner for an occasion or a treat. Very knowledgable sommelier

Food amazing. Drinks amazing. Service amazing. Truly top tier!! All the food was perfectly cooked and packed full of flavour. We had the lunch menu with Big Mac flatbread, sweetbreads with a mesmerising hot sauce, cod, seaweed salad (nervous but no need to be), lamb,...

Meal, wines, service all of the highest quality. Funky restaurant of the highest order. Dark inside which leads to a great atmosphere. Music was loud but as soon as we mentioned this, it was turned down. Food is really edgy, with ingredients of the finest...

We’ve visited The Wilderness twice this year. First in April, and again earlier this month. Both times we had a fantastic experience, with very friendly and welcoming staff and a venue that is unashamedly ‘what-it-is’. In April the food was great. I especially loved the...

Such a great experience in the most wonderful and unique surroundings - amazing what lurks behind some doors in Birmingham's back streets! Went with friends, had the 10 course tasting menu and spent about 3 hours there. Every course was exciting, interesting and delightful in...

Absolutely bloody loved it! The atmosphere, the music, fabulous & inspired food from Marius and his team in the kitchen and not forgetting Sonal and the lovely ladies in front of house! I think we were there for 3 hours and each course was amazing…...

Booked the wilderness for 3 went yesterday 14/10/22.,Oh what a fantastic place the food and the staff were second to none. We had the 7 course taster menu and we were not disappointed. The overall experience was just mind blowing...booked again for December.

Top place, great atmosphere, food brilliant & staff fantastic. We had a great night. Highly recommend going to this place Thankyou

Tucked away in the Jewelry Quarter, it was easy to miss the entrance, but glad we didn't! An epic meal/ evening was presented to us over 13 or so courses of exquisite food. I wish I could remember all the dishes, but the accompanying Wine...

This is without a doubt one of the best restaurants we’ve eaten at in a long time! We are very privileged to have dined in some awesome places, and this has come up there with the finest!!! Staff are fab, chefs were so friendly, and...

The Wilderness had been recommended to us by friends. I purchased a voucher for my husband’s Christmas present and today (September) we used it. It was well worth the wait! Stunning food, amazing service and a truly fabulous experience. We had the tasting menu and...

A breath of fresh air. This place deserve all the accolades it gets . Okay , this place might never get a star because Michelin seems to be more about your pedigree and popularity. But what does it even mean to have one anyway ?...

If you want conventional fine dining surroundings and atmosphere then don’t go here! However if you want a different sort of dining experience with amazing food, great service, accompanied by the songs of Meatloaf and the like, then this is for you! We only had...

Just fabulous from start to finish! Great flavours, excellent service. I could go into detail but the other reviews say it all. A top top restaurant.

I went to The Wilderness with my husband for our anniversary at the end of July and we were thoroughly impressed. We both appreciate fine dining and have been to several Michelin star restaurants but this was a dining experience like no other. From our...

The restaurant is beyond exceptional. The all black decor and quotes all add to the feel of the restaurant, giving edgy fine dining. The staff were attentive and all gave great descriptions of each course which was lovely to hear. The drinks were phenomenal, went...

Wow! Loved this place, loved the food, loved the drinks, loved the staff, the playlist. Def be back!

The Wilderness is a truly exceptional restaurant. The traditional fine dining stuffiness is truly stripped away to leave you feeling relaxed, surprised and delighted by each and every dish. It’s difficult to compare to its peers as it offers something truly different. If Adams restaurant...

An incredible restaurant with plenty of personality. A love letter to Birmingham in a menu, each dish perfectly crafted and all individually brilliant. The gluten free menu was crafted with just as much care and thought as the standard menu, which is rare. A treat...

First visit to this superb restaurant and it won't be the last. Great atmosphere, great staff and incredible food. How this restaurant doesn't have a Michelin Star is anyone's guess. It is a vibrant restaurant full of life and smiles in a vibrant city. Love...

…… incredible. Just visit. Fantastic food, great music, awesome experience. Thank you Sonal & team💥❤️

I loved every moment from entry to exit Thank you all. I will be back next month with my team on my next visit to Birmingham

There are no many words to say .. The location is amazing , the food presentation stunning , quality of food 10/10 , service 10/10 , cocktails and wine 10/10 even the music I just love it We will be back really soon , in...

We had our second visit to The Wilderness this weekend and chose to take two foodie friends with us, we all had an amazing time, the food was absolutely incredible and the service was outstanding. We all opted for the mixed flight and every course...

This is our fourth visit here and it remains as an exceptional fine dining experience in Birmingham It dares to be different with its heavy rock music soundtrack but the food is exquisite and it’s among the best we have tried in the UK, no...

We had a wonderful night. Amazing food and fantastic front of house team. The cocktails were delicious and the tasting menu has amazing dishes - tasty, creative and beautifully presented. The whole team are just so wonderful and looked after our family so well. On...

Wow, wow, wow!! What an Incredible evening, from the food, service, wines, music we can not fault any part of the night. We will certainly return and cannot recommend highly enough that you visit and experience this truly fantastic place. From the first taste till...

How this place doesn’t have at least one Michelin star or two is baffling Went to sat bains two weeks ago and this was much better Amazing food, friendly service with no pretentious behaviour and wines of the highest quality Just a pity we can’t...

The food at the Wildness gets better and better each time I go. The depth of flavour is amazing and matches the whole vibe of the place. The front of house staff are so attentive and friendly and are happy to chat and go into...

Visited to celebrate a colleagues leaving do The evening was nothing short of phenomenal! The service and staff, friendly, attentive and professional The ambiance was on point, the playlist abs music brought a personality to the space The Chefs behind the pass were on point...