White Swan Harborne – Restaurant Review

The White Swan in Harborne is my local pub, a short walk from our house, it’s a good place to meet, eat and drink with friends and family.

Getting into the White Swan is difficult for me as there are two double doors (one after the other) which are push and pull open doors. I cannot open these independently and there is no button which disabled people can press to require assistance if they are on their own and wanting to access the pub. Accordingly, when I visit, I rely on those I am visiting with to help me gain access.

A standard size disabled toilet is provided however this only caters for a number of disabled customers. I am unable to use the toilet itself but have used the sink in this facility before. Even for a standard-sized disabled toilet, I found it quite cramped with an electronic chair. There is often tissue on the floor but besides this it is clean.

The White Swan is split into two halves – one containing the restaurant and the other a pub. The accessibility and space within both are good. It’s flat access throughout but movement can be restricted depending on how busy the location is on each particular visit. I tend to sit on the far tables on the edge to avoid getting knocked into -it’s just easier.

I have not had to get close to a table when in the bar as I can drink from my water bottle without needing help. The tables are too low for me to reach for my drink, so the bottle is an easy solution. The bar itself is a relatively good height – I can see over it and meet the eye of the bar staff to order drinks. The staff members are very nice and have good customer service skills in the bar and the restaurant.

As I often sit on a table at the edge of the restaurant, I can usually get close to it but it’s not high enough for me to get underneath it properly. This does mean it can be hard to eat independently without making a mess unless I bring my tray. The bar and restaurant have a good atmosphere. Customers can eat and drink in their own company without having to shout. The bar can be slightly louder but it’s a good place to catch up with friends and family.

In my opinion, the food is okay, but nothing stands out. The quality can vary. I have primarily ordered sandwiches from the lunch menu and found the fish and tartare sauce sandwich very nice – the bread didn’t go soggy at all. On the other hand, I’ve found the steak in the steak sandwich quite fatty. I cannot speak as to the quality of the evening menu. I do enjoy the desserts over the mains at the White Swan. I enjoyed the different flavoured ice creams and vanilla cheesecake especially.

For these reasons, White Swan Harborne is not high up on my restaurant and pub recommendations list and I don’t favour this if I’m personally asked where to go. It is good to go and have a few drinks but found the food lacking.