The renowned Birmingham chef behind Kings Heath’s Mexican restaurant PERRO is launching his very own bar this Friday (October 16). This is the kind of bar that Matt Wilden wants to drink in, which means Snake Oil is all about favouring character over polish—it’s also got Modelo on tap and a secret shot menu.
When it comes to the main drinks menu, Matt has also enlisted the help of the creative mind behind the UK’s best cocktail bar (2026 Top 50 Cocktail Bars) and best cocktail menu (CLASS 2026 Awards), Katie Rouse from Couch in Stirchley. If that doesn’t get you excited about the opening of Snake Oil, then nothing will.
“I wanted to create a bar I want to drink in,” says Matt. “Somewhere with great drinks, good music and a relaxed atmosphere. It’s fun, but we take the drinks seriously.”
The menu features eight original cocktails alongside a selection of classics, with familiar serves given a twist. Drinks include the Snake Oil Daiquiri, Balanced Grasshopper, Tonka Bean Boulevardier, Freezer Martini, Spicy As Fuck Margarita, XO Spressy T, Rum Punch and Salty Scotch Old Fashioned.
Interiors combine black finishes, neon green, snakeskin, concrete and glass blocks with deliberately unfinished walls. The intimate, unpolished space will evolve and develop as it ages, with plans to develop the remaining space into a small kitchen and restaurant next year.
With hip hop playing throughout the week and DJs appearing on selected nights, Snake Oil will even open on Mondays (as well as across the weekend) to give people in hospitality somewhere to go on a day when many venues are closed. The bar will also serve a small menu of snacks developed by PERRO on Fridays and Saturdays.
Opening hours
- Friday: 5pm to midnight
- Saturday: 5pm to midnight
- Sunday: 3pm to 10pm
- Monday: 5pm to 10.30pm
Snake Oil is located at Unit 3, Kings Court, behind 90 High Street, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 7JZ.
