Harborne restaurant known for 'best burgers' reopens as chain as customers say 'shame'

A burger restaurant once revered as having the 'best burgers in Birmingham' has been rebranded to a chicken wing chain. The Bun and Barrel has been overhauled and is now a branch of Wingers which also has chicken shops at Birmingham International train station, in Wolverhampton and in Lichfield, Worcester and in other locations around the region.

Wingers Taproom, as the restaurant is now known, is the first 'taproom' concept for Wingers, which says it has a reputation as 'the chicken wing company'. Bobby Nahal, who took on the Bun and Barrel with partners after it announced it was up for sale in January, told BirminghamLive at the time that there were no plans to change the restaurant.

However, now four months on, Bobby has announced that the Bun and Barrel has become a branch of Wingers and co-owner TJ Choongh told customers that a 'rebrand was always on the cards' on the Harborne Community Facebook page.

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Wingers is a franchise that was created by brothers Amran and Dylan Sunner and their father Bill during the Covid-19 pandemic. It announced in December that it had signed a 30-shop development deal for West London and the Thames Valley to expand outside of the Midlands.

Bobby told the community in the Harborne Community Facebook group: "Wingers has launched its 11th venue in Harborne but the first with a full bar, pool and sports. Welcome to Wingers Taproom, open from today (May 16)."

The feedback was mixed on the announcement. Emma Smizz Armstrong tagged a friend saying: "I found our next date!" and Anne E James added: "Will have to pop in and see the changes."

Meanwhile, Brian Homer wrote: "Another good idea gone south." Sarah Steer added: "Bit of a sad downgrade from the original Bun and Barrel. Shame."

Wingers serves chicken wings, tenders, wraps and burgers as well as loaded fries and sides.