Geek Retreat Birmingham Reviews Summary

Atmosphere and Location

Pros:

• "The staff, atmosphere and new location is a lot better now that they have moved to the Jewellery Quarter."
• "It is very convenient to have this shop in the Jewellery Quarter, as most geeky shops are in the City Centre or Digbeth."
• "Lovely staff, fantastic atmosphere and lovely, yet reasonably priced food and drink."
• "The shop is easy to get to by train and tram (never tried it by bus)."

Cons:

• "My only suggestion to staff is that they need to open a window or put a few air fresheners downstairs, as there is not as much air flow downstairs as there is upstairs."
• "They need to understand that Geek is kept alive by loyal regulars and groups and societies."
• "This used to be a lovely place to relax and game with friends. Today I took a friend with mental health problems and autism into store I brought myself a drink then went to find a table."
• "To quote from the website: 'Above all, Geek Retreat is a haven created by geeks, for geeks. So please do “stop in & geek out”!' Unless you're a wheelchair user, then you can 'push off'! No access, and no way to ask for help from outside."

Staff and Customer Service

Pros:

• "Staff seem a lot more friendlier and knowledgeable, and provide good customer service."
• "Lovely staff, fantastic atmosphere and lovely, yet reasonably priced food and drink."
• "All the staff and players are so incredibly friendly that I can't imagine playing somewhere else."
• "The staff are really friendly and food and drink prices are very reasonable considering you don't need to pay to use the space."

Cons:

• "Staff are friendly, but incapable of making decent food. Wasn't impressed."
• "The staff are rude and uninterested accused me of things that were untrue and unprovable."
• "The guys who run it are greed personified."
• "Visited this place when it first opened as we have been to many board game cafes and was excited that one opened in our home town. Such a shame our only experience was walking in and having a member of staff walk up to us and angrily stare at us without saying a word."

Food and Drink

Pros:

• "The foods are fair. Of course it is not a restaurant, so do not expect a high quality. If for some quick treats, the foods should be more than enough."
• "Food prices are also reasonable too, with hot and cold drinks in addition to burgers and hot dogs being available too, and they are usually nice and tasty."
• "Great food, great drinks and the staff are wonderful."
• "A great variety of food and drinks with lots of entertainment such as arcade games and console games to keep you entertained and a very friendly atmosphere."

Cons:

• "Don't Order the food!! Not only are the prices a complete ripoff. The quality of the food is a joke."
• "The food isn't as bad as some make it out to be. It isn't amazing but to be completely honest I don't think it's aimed at the standards of myself and the community I'm a part of."
• "No cold drinks, disgusting toilet facilities that were filthy with no hand dryers or paper towels and no warm water."
• "Overpriced food and drink, shoddy furniture and broken chairs that look like a primary school reject."

Events and Gaming Environment

Pros:

• "There are lots of events and casual gaming sessions that look fun to join, and most paid entry events seem to include a booster pack or a drink."
• "A cozy café in the heart of the city, with affordable snack options. There are several games to choose from with lots of tables."
• "Came in to see what it was about the other week. They run lots of events and things to do for kids and adults alike."
• "Definitely recommend for any geek who likes board games, video games or table top games!"

Cons:

• "Limited stock (but I didn't go upstairs) but have all the essentials covered."
• "My only criticism is that the toilets are in poor condition and some tables damaged."
• "Good tasting food and positive atmosphere, though a bit stingy on the crisps with food ordered."
• "The venue was decent; but I found the food prices to be a bit expensive so I decided to go with the lads to Tesco."