I’m not overly enthusiastic about this café. The pinball machines is a cool concept, but we have many arcades this in the city already. Possibly the most expensive beer in the city also, starts at £5.50 a pint! Coffee is fair, and the cakes, or may I say cake needs more attention. Interior is cold, desolate, it really needs some thought. Once the novelty of the pinball machines wears off, there isn’t much else to this café.
Jamie T.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Birmingham, United Kingdom
A bunch of us visited here last week and It was a superb evening! I’d heard positive things about this place and I can see why. Serving top quality beers, coffees and teas in simple surroundings plus lots of pinball machines for you to enjoy. I originally thought I wouldn’t enjoy the pinball as much as I did, but one game took me back to years gone by and you couldn’t tear me away from the machines. I loved trying the different beers they had on offer. The staff will talk you through each one and let you try them. They’re not cheap but you pay for what you get! I think it’s worth every penny. They’re offerings are always changing which will keep me wanting to go back and try more. I’m convinced that I will be a pinball expert by the summer! Watch this space!
Kristin M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Birmingham, United Kingdom
I visited Tilt with a large group of friends on a weekday. We were able to snag a good area of the shop easily near the pin ball machines. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves. I opted for an on tap beer, but some others enjoyed the tea and coffee selections. There was one cake, carrot I think, which probably was completely eaten by the time our group left! Haha. The over all idea of the place is really good. But I don’t think it hits it on the head quite yet. I feel this place is in its early stages and has room for growth, which is a good thing! The shop itself was pretty bare, which made the pin ball machines seem out of place. A shop interior designer needs to come through and have a good go at it! An idea for the machines I came up with is a «buy in» rate, and then an ongoing leadership board… linking all the machines together. I’m from America where a pinball machine is only 25 cents. So a pound for a game seemed a bit much. But I understand it is a novelty. And getting a leadership board makes things fun and people more likely to play more than once! The staff were awesome and on point. The place was clean and tidy, and if I find myself wanting to go to a place in B’ham again that is a bit off the radar, I will visit Tilt again. :)
Harvey T.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Birmingham, United Kingdom
So This week i was invited to a social gathering at Tilt and i’m very surprised to what i found lurking being the bin of mothercare. A Really cool bar/café concept with pinball machines. Bit of an odd location especially at night the alley way is dimly lit but once inside your in a safe haven. The quirky little loose tea pots are great and the fresh coffee selection is one of the best i’ve seen. They have a good selection of craft beers bottled and some on tap, which changes on a daily basis so you will have a lot to look forward to each time you visit. The beers can be hit and miss depending on personal tastes so i recommend you always ask for a taster. To put the cherry on top… they also do cake but by the time I got there it was gone. This place has a very relaxed chilled out vibe which i liked very much but it did feel clod and isolated. It was a shame to say this place is very much a blank canvas. the pinballs machines add character to the place but this is where it stops. I’d like to see much more colour on the walls and some of the creativity they have used downstairs to be used on the main floor too. I haven’t been during the day but i can imagine it to have similar chilled vibe. just go in for a coffee and do some work, read a book, chat with friends. They have plug sockets on the walls so you can charge your personal devices. Pinball machines range from Game of thrones, ironman, AC/DC, and many many more. for a pound a play it gets very addictive… make sure you take lots of spare change! They also have free wifi — Password is hopsandbeans
Samuel J.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Birmingham, United Kingdom
I went to Tilt with high expectations and I have to say it met and surpassed them. The concept of tilt is a late night coffee shop with a decent beer selection with pinball machines and on all of the above it delivers in epic fashion. What it does it does very well, the tea and coffee selection is one of the best in the city. The beer selection is unique and rotates regularly and I would urge anyone to take a look at the bottle selection there are a few hidden gems to discover and all are worth trying. They also do cake… But I will warn you they only have one or two a day and once they are gone they are gone. The place itself has a great vibe with everyone very relaxed, sat around talking there are loads of tables, stools and chairs. During the day it’s a really nice place to stop for coffee or in my case open the laptop to work(free WiFi and there are plug sockets) and then at night sit relax with friends and then there is the pinball. There are a range of machines both upstairs and downstairs and it is scary how what starts as, harmless fun turns into a competition particularly in large groups. This place is phenomenal and a really needed addition to the city!
Brandon A.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Birmingham, United Kingdom
I met a group of friends at Tilt for a weekday night out. I got red berry tea and shared a slice of carrot cake with my wife. Both the tea and cake were excellent and a single slice was enough for the both of us to share(they cut the slices fairly big). In terms of alcohol, they had a selection of drought and bottle beers, as well as some cocktails to choose from. There wasn’t any cider on the menu, but the droughts change regularly, so they may have it sometimes. I enjoyed playing pinball, but the only reason this place isn’t getting 5 stars is because the pinball was so expensive. It costs 1 pound to for one game or 2 pounds for three games. I would have preferred to pay a small upfront charge(3 – 4 pounds) to get unlimited access for the evening or for some time limit. Since because pinball isn’t a particularly common activity, it’s easy to not be especially good so the games that I and some of my friends played ended fairly quickly. That being said, overall, the food and drink was good and the atmosphere was fun. I probably won’t come back for the pinball, but I will come back for the drinks.
Jeanette M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Birmingham, United Kingdom
What a great place! Even though it’s full of pinball machines, it manages to be a really chill space, which was sorely needed in Birmingham. Fantastic selection of teas, some of the best coffee I’ve had in town, and really unique craft beers on tap. And, of course, pinball! Great fun! Tilt occupies a very minimalist but quirky space, with tables by the windows that are good for working and having a cuppa, and high tables at the back that are great for enjoying a pint later on by the pinball machines. There is also a basement seating area good for large groups. I believe they are still developing a food menu, but this evening they had carrot cake available, and man, it was some of the most delicious carrot cake I’ve ever had! Staff were very friendly and knowledgeable about the drinks. Highly recommended.
Dave M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Birmingham, United Kingdom
Tilt was on my 2016 list of places to go! And It was worth waiting the 8 weeks for. A stripped out tea and craft beer bar that takes advantage of its quirky shape. Down one wall is a set of pinball machines which I’m sure has a draw for the board game/gamer market. Tables are a mixture of high tables with stools and retro school type wooden chairs. The staff are friendly and excited about their venue. OH and they have several plug sockets dotted around for the mobile office person(ME!) I’ll be back when the food menu is ready.
Brittany A.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Birmingham, United Kingdom
After hearing all the buzz about Tilt opening, Seth S. and I decided to check it out. I totally dig this cute little place! The décor is modern, sleek and bright. Pinball board art is hung on bright white walls, with minimalist tile, modern lights, and clean lines. The seating is reminiscent of school chairs and stools, which are not the most comfortable but fit well with the design aesthetic. Seth S. ordered a grape sour beer, which was delightfully balanced, bright, and fruity. I ordered the chocolate tea. Wow! I’ve never heard of chocolate tea before, but it’s my new favorite hot beverage. The bar keep takes time to make an excellent cup of tea — loose leaf — steeped to aromatic perfection. The milk is served in a beaker, which I think is a cute touch. The pinball game selection is great. I was so happy they have the Addams Family game — it was one I played all the time as a kid. What a fun fusion of nostalgia and delicious drinks!
Daniel G.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Birmingham, United Kingdom
This place is pretty much ideal. It’s is not only satisfying the pinball lover in me but also the caffeine addict and the craft beer rookie. I love everything about the design here, it is clean and minimal with pinball boards in the walls. I had a perfect latte and a slice of lime cake this afternoon but could not resist a quick blast on the Adams family pinball. There are about six machines in total and they are all in epic. The only decision you have to make is not of you want to play, it’s which machine to get on which is the hard part! This shop has not been here long and is 100% worth a visit. It’s spot on and very me. I am definitely one of tilts new regulars.
Laura C.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Birmingham, United Kingdom
Oddly placed in an arcade that is hidden around the back of Primark, is a lovely small bar called Tilt. It is small, it has about 10 tables. It also has about five pinball machines which is a really fun touch. It has a bar of beers which you can try before you buy and also does coffee and a few cakes. No other food unfortunately. Very cool, new place :)
Oliver M.
Birmingham, United Kingdom
Coffee and craft beer are all the rage these days but Tilt manages to mix up the formula through the power of pinball… yes a row of joy in the shape of pinball machines and at £2 for 3 credits it’s possible to get plenty of joy out of them. The place itself is nicely done, it is in a constant state of improvement at the moment as it is independent and newly opened but there are plenty of seats and tables, in fact it’s worth noting they have a basement area with more, quieter(the upstairs might be a little loud for some of those who like to work in a coffee shop) seating with good quality toilets. They seem to be taking the same approach to both coffee and beer in that it’s always on rotation and they pick on the more experimental side of the spectrum, which means there is always plenty to try. On the food front they are much more limited and generally just have 1 or 2 types of cake on offer, they do buy from the brilliant Bake however so what they do have is pretty darn tasty. All in all well worth a visit and a very pleasant place to spend some time with good coffee/beer and pinball.