You Said....

Posted Friday, December 30, 2011
Having visited for Christmas Dinner for many years we have gone from Linen Tablecloths to Paper Tablecloths to No Tablecloths! No longer any table decorations or candles, just cheap crackers. Staff were very peasant and great service but it will be our last Christmas Day visit. Time for a change sadly :-(
John Reddi

Posted Monday, September 19, 2011
Visited Saturday evening as we hadn't booked didn't expect to have a table available. We were very lucky the waitress was very helpful and pointed us in the direction of a table she was about to clear in the snug. We had a quick look a the menu and decided on the supreme fish pie which came with a lovely fresh mixed salad. (the table to our right who had just finished their meal looked on the menu to see what it was we had ordered and said they would order as we had next time!) I would strongly recommend this dish contained large pieces of Cod, Smoked Haddock and well cooked prawns, the sauce of white wine and dill was thick and creamy. Well done all great service, great food a very enjoyable experience.
Annie

Posted Monday, September 19, 2011
My Husband and I took our Son and his girl friend for a belated birthday meal but were very disappointed with the meals. I had the salmon which was on the specials menu with 3 spears of asparagus and a small blob of dauphinois potato. Considering the cost £12.80 this was certainly not value for money. My Son had the chicken breast with again a very small dollop of the dauphinois potato and some spinach. This portion was not enough for a male. The steak pie fared a little better but the pastry was overcooked. My Husband had fish and chips which were not too bad. We all had to have desserts to fill up so perhaps this is the ploy ! The more expensive meals were not value for money so we will not be returning.
June Bestwick

Posted Monday, August 8, 2011
I went to this pub on Monday 25th July with some friends for a special occasion.  We ordered our meal at 7.30 and got it about 9, service was terrible, I ordered salmon/brocolli fishcakes with salad, the fishcakes were done to a crisp and I found a big bone in the middle of one, as for the salad it was a limp piece of lettuce with a quarter of tomato, this cost me £7.99, all of my friends meals were the same. It was the worst meal I have had in a long time, we will not be going again.  If you decide to go remember Monday night is their quiz night.
Linda Willett

Posted Monday, April 18, 2011
Appalling food. Sent back haddock risotto as it resembled a badly made rice pudding and it was 'hunt the haddock'. The replacement meal was like a kid's version of KFC without the flavour. One to avoid in the future.
Trish

Posted Tuesday, October 26, 2010
A very disappointing evening. tried to book on line as advertised  but web site not working. phoned and booked a table for 6.30pm. Having looked at the menu and decided what we wanted to order, we where then informed that there was an hours wait. What is the point of booking a table when we could have got the same service if we had called  in on speck. Left and went to Miller & Carter, Shirley. Fantastic service, fantastic food.
Sue Brawn

Posted Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The open chicken pie is the best it is the 1 to try.
Wayne Hinton

Posted Tuesday, August 25, 2009
I visited this pub on the weekend for a meal and a few pints and I can not say a bad word about it. It was the best nite out I have had in ages. last time I went was just before christmas and there was a woman manager but it looks like they are under new management now as there is a new guy there and he seems to have the place running like clockwork, much better than the last time I went and waited nearly 55 minutes for my food! there is one blonde waitress in particular who is very attractive and looks a bit like the singer lady gaga! I think this is a good little pub to visit and have a nice cold pint and a rest after going for a stroll around the lakes. Ill probably be visiting again this weekend.
Justin

Posted Monday, July 27, 2009
Last night I came for a meal at the little pub in the countryside. I had Corn-fed chicken and my wife had sole fillets it was one of the best meals I had in a long time since going there since 2005. We stayed most of the night enjoying the change of management it seems to be a spark in the air and the staff seem really happy now. The place looks different even though the decor is the same fresh lillies and the smell of bees wax I am to say thank you to all the staff who made me welcome at this pub. Well done
 Tom

Posted Monday, June 8, 2009
During my recent visit to the Red lion, i found the staff helpful, the food very good and the beer great.
Mike

Posted Tuesday, May 26, 2009
After several months and a grudging apology from the manager, we decided to see if there was any improvement.  Well, no. We had to demand a waitress wiped the table (she did half of it).  The menu claims that the Seafood Cob Salad comes with prawns, smoked mackeral, lobster and smoked salmon. It actually came with two small pieces of mackeral, half a dozen prawns and a mess that appeared to be tuna mayonnaise.  I assumed this was lobster and asked for the smoked salmon, but apparently, this was the lobster and smoked salmon. Mainly it was mayonnaise with fish puree.  When I mentioned to the waitress that it was pretty disgusting she flounced off in a huff, which seems to be the house style for serving staff there. Saved us a tip again. Don't waste your time or money on this place.
Jacqui

Posted Wednesday, March 11, 2009
This is my local and I regularly eat here. I have no idea why there are all the complaints - I have always had a good experience! Good food, good prices and a lovely atmosphere.
Nikki

Posted Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Went there last friday, with my family, waited at least 10 mins while the locals shouted for more drinks, the landlord completely ignored us. (the pub was half full) then we left..  wouldn't mind, but its so expensive anyway you would have thought they'd bite your hand off the minute you walked through the door..
Rick in Solihull

Posted Monday, February 2, 2009
To update my comment of 26th January, I did post a detailed account of our awful experience on the M&B website at the same time along with a link to this page, though I really have no idea  how their customer services department has missed this catalogue of complaints. So far I've had no response apart from an automatically generated reply.  I wonder if M&B's apathy goes some way to explaining what's going wrong at the Red Lion?
Jacqui

Posted Monday, January 26, 2009
I probably don't need to say this having read all the unfavourable comments but I've just had one of the worst dining experiences ever at the Red Lion. I had to settle for my 4th choice of main course because so much was unavailable, we waited 40 minutes for any food to arrive and when it did it was mains, not starters. It appears that whoever took our order cancelled the starters while my companion was going backwards and forwards telling me everything I wanted was unavailable. Another five minute wait for starters, then twenty minutes for main. Food here has generally been good before now but tonight it was disgusting - too hot, overcooked and tasteless.  Three different waitresses said 'Sor-ry' in sing-song voices and when I told one she was being off hand, she stormed off in a huff (saving us a tip). 
Jacqui

Posted Monday, December 22, 2008
Used to go here quite often as it's local and reasonably priced. Not any more though. On the past few occasions the food has been badly cooked and presented. Many menu items were unavailable and the staff were indifferent when we complained. It's certainly gone down hill.
 Tony

Posted Friday, November 7, 2008
My friend and I visited The Red Lion yesterday, we shall not do so again. Our meal was tiny cold and vastly over priced an absolute joke, our complaints were met with indifference and no recompence was offered. A letter of complaint to the Brewery I think.
P. Palmer.

Posted Monday, November 3, 2008
The Red Lion at Earlswood has to be now the best place to eat in Solihull providing you meet the following criteria.
1. You enjoy feeling that you are an intrusion into the house routine and like to be treated as a necessary evil rather than a paying customer.
2. You appreciate a Manageress who comes across like an old fashioned boarding house landlady and greets your simple enquiry about a new menu item with sneering disregard.
3. You enjoy food burnt black and served with the burnt side face down. No doubt in the assumption that you are too stupid and your palate too jaded to realise. But don't worry if burnt food isn't to your liking because something will also be cold or even uncooked.
4. When you see a dish on the menu that you have had elsewhere and have always enjoyed, but here you find it totally unpalatable. A friend takes a taste and also declares it inedible. You inform the manageress thinking something is wrong but just get shrugged shoulders and the dismissive reply 'we don't cook it here we just heat it up and serve it, it's nothing to do with us'. Then the Red Lion is definitely the place for you.
Altogether an unpleasant experience that has grown worst as time has progressed since change of management. We have now reached the end of the road as well as our tolerance/patience we will not be returning for second helpings of indifference, attitude and poor presentation. (Not to mention bad cooking even if completed elsewhere ???) What on earth are Mitchell and Butler thinking of.
Steven Shepherd 

Posted Monday, October 6, 2008
I haven't looked at this website for ages, but I just had to add a comment, my husband and I had lunch at the Red Lion in April 2008, we are from Australia, and we enjoyed our lunch very much, we loved the quaintness of the place, the food was nice and bar staff pleasant, so it can't  all be bad!!!, maybe we are a little biased as my nana lived at the pub in the early 1900's, her Dad was a previous licensee, so I do feel loyalty to the pub, so I was just trying to soak up the atmosphere on my very short stay in Earlswood.  The bar staff even went and got an old photo of the place when I asked about its history.  Hope it improves for all the knockers!!!
Kaye Heberle

Posted Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Awful awful awful - and that is just the service!  - The food (when you eventually get your order) is cooked beyond overdone and the waiting staff are acknowledging that this is the case! - I find it hard that the 'chef' (termed very loosely) and so called 'management' believe that this is an acceptable standard to serve to their guests! - Then again judging by the appalling attitude of the management when we complained - it shouldn't surprise me that the quality of food is on a par with their levels of customer service - I will definitely be giving this pub a wide berth in the future - Come on Mitchell & Butler please do something about the attitude of the management and the poor quality of food
Steve Jones

Posted Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Lunch at the Red Lion on the weekend was not a pleasant experience and I would recommend to anyone considering a visit to go elsewhere.  Our food took nearly an hour to arrive and although most was, at best, below average, one serving was burnt to a crisp.  When we requested a replacement for the cremated offering the table staff were pleasant agreeing the food was very overcooked (why serve it?), however a gentleman who was clearly in a more senior position set an example by being sarcatic and dissmive.  Poor customer service and below average food.  Give it a miss.
Nicola Davies

Posted Monday, June 23, 2008
Terrible service - had to enquire regarding when my food would arrive a number of times. When food did eventually arrive I had to send back as it was badly overcooked and inedible. The staff were mostly unhelpful. I strongly recommend never visiting this pub
Chad

Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Having just been to the red lion for Sunday lunch I am very disappointed with the quality of service we received. I ordered fishcakes which were cold, I sent them back but received no apology, although I did get a replacement. It is a very good menu and a very nice location, unfortunately probably will not be visiting again because of poor service.
Jackie Walton

Posted Monday, April 21, 2008
I would like to echo the comments made previously by T. Phillips about customer service - or rather lack of it - at the Red Lion. This pub used to be a fantastic place to eat and stop and have a drink but the atmosphere over the last few months has been considerably hostile! - The decoration is the same so I can only blame this upon the staff who work there and therefore the blame ultimately must reside with the pub's management. I must add, as I have read the latest comment by Danielle, the manager of this establishment, that she intended to improve on the previous bad comments posted over the last 2 years - well Danielle, all I can say is that you haven't and in fact the service and quality that local residents have always been given may have come under criticism over the last 2 years but it has never been as bad as it is at the moment. I have also visited this pub during a quiet period and the staff can't seem to cope then - I pity anyone who eats there when it is busy!!!
Geoff  Poole

Posted Monday, April 14, 2008
As a local family we eat at the Red Lion regularly - that was until today. The quality of food is average, certainly not up to the high standards that the Red Lion has been proud of over previous management years. More concerning is the service and attitude of the staff. If you would like a friendly welcome where you can sit in a relaxed atmosphere this is no longer the place to eat. The management feels it is appropriate to wear jogging bottoms and a hooded top covered in animal fur and her staff were overheard gossiping in a nasty way about a table of customers - all this on a very quiet lunchtime!! I was also advised by the manager that this pub is 'no longer marketed as a family pub' - Hmmm not sure what the brewery would think of the change in management style!
T. Phillips

Posted Thursday, April 3, 2008
I am the current manager here at the red lion, it has had a lot of changes in the time I've been here (only all of six months). I am shocked to read these comments but can assure you this doesn't happen anymore, I love my pub and love everything about it, so why not have a re think and retry it?.
Danielle

Posted Wednesday, May 3, 2006
I am interested in the early history of the Red Lion Hotel, I visited last August when travelling in the UK, and loved all the old photos around the walls, does anyone know their origin, I believe my great grandfather (Dennis White) was the licensee early 1900's. Would really appreciate if someone could provide me with some details, or where I could find out previous licensees.
Kind regards Kaye Heberle


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Posted Saturday, October 8, 2005
I ate here with my family last week, after reading some of the comments I started to think about changing venue. Once there we had a fantastic meal and the staff were very helpful and always smiling. Will be visiting again soon.
Anne

Posted Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Possibly the worst meal have ever had was the chorizo chicken with cheese. The chef opened a micro- waved bag which had chicken but no sausage and a piece of string that was described to me as cheese. The portion of dried up chips was less than a handful. The member of staff informed me that this meal is bought in but he would speak with the chef. Why speak with the chef when all he's done is opened a bag and spooned on some chips. My border collie could do that. Can the chef make a little garnish for the plate???. Appears not!!! Chicken and chips (half portion) £7.50
Disgrace
Colin Brittle

Posted Monday, August 1, 2005
As a regular at the red lion, I think the pub is smashing, the beer and the food are tremendous and the staff are great. and for the country pub lover, where do you go and get hot salads? M. Sharpe you're an idiot, this waitress is the best there, maybe its you and your attitude. long live the Red Lion.
R Carter

Posted Thursday, June 9, 2005
Don't know if she is the manageress who head waiter or what but the pub is let down by a young woman who is short and wears glasses who is incapable of smiling and is rude and somewhat aggressive if it wasn't for her I think the pub would be smashing!!!!
Country pub lover

Posted Monday, May 9, 2005
Have been a regular at this pub for a while, but after what happened Friday night I wont be going there again. For my main meal, the chicken was cold and my partners vegetables were cold. After asking to speak with the manager, he came over and said that it didn't state on the menu that the food was going to be hot!! No apology at all, just a terrible attitude from the manager and waiter. Not even an apology.  
 M Sharpe

Posted Tuesday, January 18, 2005
 All us locals know about this excellent pub and it's great food - does the rest of Solihull?  Unlike some of the other country pubs, this place is not over-priced and the food is not your usual pub fare.  Expect lots of flavour and large portions.
Alice Andrews

Posted Wednesday, October 20, 2004
 In response to the two last entries, it's a Vintage Inn, staffed by spotty youths whose culinary knowledge just about stretches to operating a microwave! If you want decent food, then go elsewhere; preferably to a pub which:
a) Is not a homogenised, corporate-owned establishment;
b) Doesn't use laminated menus.
Neville Mundy

Posted Monday, May 31, 2004
Today i had the crispy bacon and warm black pudding as a starter which is usually served with a tangy dressing, today no tangy dressing and the crispy bacon was substituted with cold bits of ham. I ask you....what the hells going on?? Disillusioned Birmingham.
Dave Livesey

Posted Saturday, April 10, 2004
We ate here yesterday, the starters were ok but the mains came with mashed potatoes that tasted synthetic and my chicken was over cooked or over microwaved! The staff seemed stressed and there was no evidence of the management any where, very disappointing as it is in a lovely spot but if we visit again it will only be for a drink. Has it changed hands over the past couple of years?
Pam Smith

Posted Friday, February 27, 2004
Mmm, interesting comment by an un-named regular customer. In response, two comments:
1. The Red Lion was selling lamb shanks at the time I ate there.
2. The Red Lion's bar and eating area is restricted to the downstairs; the upstairs is used for accommodation and presumably office space.
I think you have the wrong pub Muppet!
Neville Mundy

Posted Friday, January 9, 2004
Probably my favourite pub in the Solihull area. My colleagues and I have been enjoying lunch at the Red Lion most Fridays for the past seven years.
The food is consistently good with generous portions served. I can heartily recommend the big cod! Although I did enjoy the odd game of skittles I much prefer the extended dining area with traditional log fire. The staff are always friendly and the garden is fantastic in Summer. This pub is also on some fantastic cycle routes and is only a short walk from the lakes.
Richard Gallois

Posted Thursday, September 18, 2003
Neville Mundy is a compete dick as the Red Lion does not sell lamb shank! And the land lord is working down stairs where he is friendly.
A regular customer

Hi, I think your pub is FAB. It's wicked since it has been decorated.
Sophie Payne

A pub belonging to the nationwide 'Vintage Inn' chain. Those interested in seeking out establishments serving good food should take heed of this opening comment and know from experience that in the main (no pun intended!), 'chain pubs', particularly those which feel compelled to promote their fare by use of such slogans as 'Great British Food, All Day, Every Day', do not offer quality food. Myself and my partner honestly had some pretty dire experiences at the Red Lion on the food front. One that immediately comes to mind was the occasion when a lamb shank (one of the smallest that I had ever seen) was served swimming in a pool of what can only be described as diluted Bisto or its equivalent. Another time, a sticky toffee pudding would have needed a side order of industrial strength adhesive to impart any degree of stickiness to the dry sponge parading itself as a desert. Comments about food aside, we never did find either the landlord or the landlady welcoming or friendly and despite our frequent visits for a drink, neither would ever make the effort to say hello or attempt to engage in any sort of conversation at all. In summary, if you appreciate good food which has been cooked properly, then I advise you to avoid this pub at all costs; it really is an appalling example of what's on offer in the area.
Neville Mundy

Again shame about the limited beer choice -I used to enjoy the Brew XI, but Bass and Tetley very poor. Another Lager pub?
Mike Smith

Suggest you take another visit. Land Lord Land Lady very welcoming- I only drink and don't eat there- will admit that Sunday afternoons in manic. I smoke quite happily next to the fire in the winter and disappear outside in the summer- if you visit again you will note most old staff are back and the team is working well together. Suggest you pay a visit early doors and see just how friendly staff management and locals can be. I was also sceptical when the pub re-opened, however it's settled down and deserves a lot better comment than you have given.
Carrie

The recent refurbishment seems to have entailed a complete change in staff and a resultant fall in the standard of service. Food remains good but draught beer choice is very limited (Bass and the ubiquitous Tetley's).
Steve Reading



Re-opened on the 16th July. Very nice, however, it is more of an eating pub now than a drinking pub-and only one smoking area! Nice food-but not very welcoming for drinkers.
Gareth Hall

It appears that this pub is shut for refurbishment and re-opens Mid July.
Shame really - it is always a nice place to sit and have a drink outside-after fishing in the lakes. Hopefully there will still be some sun left for the re-opening.
Gareth Hall

This page is part of the Solihull Online Pub Guide and is not connected with any of the pubs and bars listed.