Great night here for bf's birthday…read more We started in the downstairs pub area and bf tried some of the ale brewed in the basement, which he said was very good. The bar staff and manager were really friendly and also nice to each other, which gave an overall very positive impression of how the Clarence is run. Upstairs in the attractive restaurant area we were seated by the window and were quickly approached for our drinks order by the server who was brilliant throughout the meal. She was very pleasant and efficient and gave me helpful advice on what to order. We started with the generous-sized black pudding and leek croquettes with a pear and porter sauce which bf loved. Next up I had the roe deer and bf had strip steak. Bf extremely happy with the steak and also commented that the chips were "American standard." I ate most of his perfectly cooked greens. My own dish was really interesting - it was cooked perfectly and also featured a little pie which I was not expecting! The menu has many good points. It's varied both in type of dish and price, so you can come for a special occasion or weekday dinner. It features local elements like the Bury black pudding. It has a good range of steaks. And it has more unusual dishes like the roe deer, venison in my experience being comparatively rare on Manchester menus. Drinks-wise, we enjoyed the light Sauvignon Blanc rose and some kind of delicious port-like dessert wine which was basically like drinking raisins without the plastic aftertaste. Unfortunately we did not get to sample the cocktail bar as it is only open Fridays and Saturdays but bf says it is v nice and if you dine you can normally get in for drinks, even though it's otherwise members only (£250 a year). Will have to return for that, and also for the great-sounding Sunday lunch! Overall well worth a little excursion to Bury and a no-brainer if you're in the area. Only word of caution is that there may not be a lot of choice for vegetarians, so check menu on website before you go.

The best Sunday Roast in North Manchester!!…read more Such a lovely pub, it's hard to believe that i've lived a few miles from here all my life and have never tried it. Downstairs is a traditional pub and a few tables. I can imagine it gets very busy at the weekend. The restaurant, upstairs, is lovely and very large. After looking at the menu, it was clear that the sunday roast was going to be the winner, so i opted for the beef Sunday roast with yorkshire pudding and all the veg! We also ordered cauliflower cheese on the side as an extra. Overall i couldn't fault the meal. It was excellent and the service was impeccable too!

Take the M66 J1 and head south towards Bury. An innocuous side road, a few hundred yards off the…read moreA56, called Walmersley Old Road takes a surprisingly cobbled and twisting rise towards Nangreaves and the village of Mount Pleasant, high up on the moorland that dominates the landscape between Bury and Rochdale. The Lord Raglan stands proudly near the top of the hill at the edge of the village - an oasis in the midst of the barren, yet beguiling Lancashire moors. There is probably nothing this pub lacks. One might quibble and say - a decent jukebox or pool table, but although I would usually cite both of those as key ingredients in the Ideal Pub - the pub that bides its time, unchanging and enduring in the realm of Platonic Forms - both would be out of place in this somewhat comprehensive establishment. Essentially The Lord Raglan is a three legged dog, but as Michael Stipe once said, A three legged dog is still a dog and what a hound it is. The first leg is the restaurant, the main attraction for anyone travelling more than a few miles to this beautifully isolated outpost (although there is a very regular bus service to Bury and Manchester). Leg number two is the pub itself, nourished by leg number three - The Third Leg, if you will: Leyden Brewery, situated in the cellar beneath the pub itself. The pub is eclecticly furnished with all manner of curios including ornate thrones, the odd far eastern relic and more traditionally rural items pertaining to the world of hunting. Somehow though, none of this is overfacing and the pub treads the fine line between cosiness and clutter very steadily. It is split into three large rooms - the restaurant, the main bar area which includes a small lounge and a further main lounge which affords spectacular views towards Holcombe Hill and Ramsbottom. Sunsets to through the lounge windows to the west are often mesmerising in the summer. There is a congenial atmosphere throughout with a good ratio of locals to visitors and everyone seems happy to chat. That's not always the case in such rural establishments. The landlord and bar staff are efficient and friendly though not effusive - they leave the small talk out of it by and large. The service is of a good reliable and consistent standard, though there can often be a long wait for food - so prepare for this by arriving in plenty of time befor ethe hunger pangs become too painful. This is due to the small size of the kitchen, also situated downstairs. The restaurant serves the gamut of traditional rural pub fare with the emphasis on meat. That encompasses grills and burgers, steaks, gammon and some excellent Bury Black Pudding Tower dishes. Hot steak sandwiches and the like are also served as lighter bites with specials including bakes, fish such as Red Snapper and Thai curries adding a less usual flourishto the menu. Whatever you order, make sure it comes with a helping of Raglan Fries - they are an essential part of the Raglan Experience. Desserts are also highly recommended and come in the form of traditional staples such as sticky toffee pudding, spotted dick and apple pie. Diners are welcome in the restaurant itself or anywhere throughout the pub. My advice would be to go for a table in the one of the lounges as the ambience and mix of clientele is one of the main lures of this place. As you enter the main lounge, skirt along the bar and head up to the enormous table in the far left corner. It is surrounded by a very comfortable high backed leather couch and offers great views towards those sunsets. The pub is dog-friendly and often hosts a variety of canines, even in the main lounge. Children are also welcome although there may be a time limit on having them at the bar. In summer, the outside seating also comes into its own for such puposes, althought the beer garden in the yard to the rear could be improved with a bit of TLC. Perhaps the best reason to visit The Lord Raglan is the Leyden Brewery, the brainchild of Brendan, brother of Terry the landlord. It's a formidable micro-brewery offering a wide selection of fine ales. Four or five of those ales are usually on offer at any one time, including staples such as Raglan's Sleeve and Nanny Flyer (named after the local bus to Nangreaves) round about the 4% mark, the latter being the lighter. They range from Leyden's own wheat beers and premium style lager to Crowning Glory which approaches the sweeter style of 6% ales. Inbetween are classics such as Bury Forever (depicting the crest of Bury FC), Balaclava and Sebastopol Road and Charge of the Light Brigade. Other ales come and go and many are included in the annual (July 20th) beer festival - though it appears to me that the Raglan houses a permanent beer festival, such is the variety of choice available. Of course, they also serve the usual suspects such as lagers, Guinness and ciders on tap, but even those are accompanied by Frambozen fruit beers and white beers. The Lord Raglan is a classic

Good family pub restaurant, great food and friendly hard working staff. Will come backread more

Cafe L'Etage is an adorable little cafe serving home made food in a room upstairs at the further…read moreend of the Rock. Come here if you like your cafes to look like an old fashioned country kitchen complete with cute tablecloths and teapots high up on the shelves. The menu has some 'French twists' as they like to call it and there is that air of simple elegance that you get in real French cafe's but the majority of the food and drink here is comfortably British. No exotic surprises to put people off. Soups, salads and tasty desserts - mainly light and food to peck at. They have a fun, fairly mellow soundtrack to the various conversations going on here which only adds to the charm. Pop in with some friends to get in out of the cold and feel like you are escaping to another world where everything is cheery, pretty and just-so.

enjoyed lunch a crepe, filled with mushrooms and prawns for me; broccoli soup, and ham sandwich…read morefor her. Very tasty however, there were no prawns in mine, just mushrooms. The proprietor adjusted the price but had the waitress asked if everything was acceptable they could have replaced the food. Nevertheless we were well satisfied and will go back.

We stayed here for one night. We were surprised that the hotel was really like its new Best Western…read morename: Bolholt Country Park Hotel. The grounds were nice and quiet even though it was quite busy for the weekend. Our room was situated in a building that was not in the same one as the modern reception. The hotel also consisted of the Stables Leisure Club, which was annoyingly also in a separate building, accessible via the outside of the reception, through the car park. The good points are that the staff were great. Good local knowledge and very friendly and efficient at dealing with many people checking out at the same time. The room was spacious and the grounds were well maintained and quiet, desire it being quite old. The bar area was a nice spot for relaxing. They also have a restaurant but we did not try it as the menu looked quite pricey (£15 for a main course). I'd recommend it if you're needing a place that's great value in North Manchester.

This is a wonderful "resort"...not actually a hotel...much better. The buildings are old England…read morewith steam heat and the walls are thin. But, what a wonderful stay we had. The buildings are very pretty, there is a health club named "Stables"...and the logo is the bust of a horse...naturally I thought this was an actual stable and maybe we could rid horses...LOL...was I ever surprised. The staff was wonderful...the restaurant breakfast was "perfect"....Sunday was the buffet and what a selection. Monday was menu, but seemed to have everything that was on the buffet. The sausage was great...the bacon, well bacon in the UK is different than in the USA...these were like little ham's and WOW they were tasty. Poached eggs on toast were flawless. We would welcome the opportunity to stay here again....I am certain you will also.

The good things here, food is served quickly and hot. All cooked to your liking ( Carvery can be…read moreover cooked if too long but luckily so busy that it's replaced in good time ;) ) Cakes and Ice cream are a speciality ( see pictures ) I had the farm giant burger - fresh farm bap with two 6 oz 'cheapish' burgers not very good, but rest good, and chips nice fluffy and crunchy , fish and chips looked good but batter was fractionally over done with mushy peas on form :-) Also ordered ( not for me ) the hunters chicken ( again good quality although chicken a little tough It's very good for the pub quiz on a Thursday but get here early for a table :-)

First of all, they are fantastic at dealing with specialized needs…read more As someone who suffers with a high form of social anxiety, the lady who helped us find a table out of the way where it wasn't too crowded during a busy afternoon was wonderful. She also went above and beyond to make sure our needs were met because of my situation which i was grateful for. The food was fairly priced and it was absolutely delicious, i had broccoli and stilton soup and a mixed grill and it was wonderful. I would highly recommend this place from service to food, it was top notch at making sure we were comfortable and happy with everything.

This place is amazing. The most unbelievably friendly staff, great beer on draft, an interesting…read morecheese menu.... and perfect fish and chips. I came here with my 8 year old daughter last night and we were welcomed very warmly with amazing food and amazing service. Now I completely understand why this place has so many great review. They are well deserved. Hopefully I can return in the next few days.

Great classic pub. Delicious beers and good looking food. Back patio had lovely seating for when…read morethe small pub area fills up. Staff handled the crowd very well. I would highly recommend.

TL;DR - Still cool, great food and vibes... but service can be slow…read more Came here to enjoy the last day of Eat Out to Help Out. Social distancing is nicely employed - there's a hatch outside for takeaway, and outdoor seating to wait for a table. We sat for about 10 minutes before being invited in. There's a brunch menu at weekends but on a Monday the main offer was pizzas. And they were really, really good... we both had the Pepe Braddock which features n'duja, caramelised onions and roast peppers. The topping on this pizza was absolutely fabulous. We also enjoyed a draught IPA which was nice if pricy (£4.50 a pint). The interior is just as cool as it always was. And they're dog friendly too so you get to watch some adorable four legged friends whilst you're here. The downside though, and the thing stopping a 5* review is that the service was sloooow. We ordered two pizzas, and had to wait about 50 minutes for them. It was reasonably busy whilst we were there but not packed. We'd actually come here because at Folk next door they said it would be an hour's wait for food. If we'd been on a lunch break from work we'd have been in trouble!

I came to Cuckoo on a Saturday afternoon to try out their pizzas. Upon entering i instantly liked…read morethe place. It's small and compact and has only a few tables, although i believe there are some more tables and an extra seating area downstairs. We waited at the door for a minute or so, then figured it must be a 'choose a table and order at the bar' type of place because nobody approached us, so we sat at a small table at the top of the stairs. The menu is decent, split out between 'red' and 'white' pizzas - some vegetarian options too. They're all reasonably priced at around £5 - £6.50 and when they arrived they were also reasonably sized. I ordered the margherita, as i believe this how you determine a very good pizza. It was OK. The oven could have been a little hotter, as the base didn't cook completely to the edges and didn't achieve much 'lepoarding' as you expect with usual sourdough wood oven type pizzas. There was also, maybe, a little too much cheese on there and the dough had an excess amount of flour on it, which i had to wipe off to make the crusts edible. For Prestwich, this place is great. But living in MCR and being a regular* at Honest Crust and Rudy's Pizza, this place just isn't that good. The cocktail menu looks great. *more than regular ;)

Last night was a classic Waggon evening; friendly professional service and delicious food in a…read morewarm, tidy atmosphere. The market menu offers a decent choice of seasonal options in a very reasonable price bracket, and this occasion didn't disappoint! As always, staff were more than willing to accommodate any requests or minor alterations to the menu, and knew it inside out. My spiced lamb broth was just what the menu promised, and my steak was cooked to perfection. It was also quite evident that the chef was born with two instincts: to survive and to cook fish exquisitely! Someone else on the table had two fish courses, haddock and mackerel, and each fillet was tender, with some bold and balanced flavours. As for the drinks, I can't remember the name of the dark Belgian ale I had, but I could happily drink it indefinitely, especially when alongside the dishes I had last night. The only observation last night was that the service was slower than usual, but given how busy they were, it was by no means disproportionately so, and we didn't feel neglected or forgotten about once. Good food, good drink, good service, can't wait for my next visit!

Great local spot, very cozy with plenty of seating for the pub area and the dinning area. Plus…read moretasty food and festive drinks.

Little friendly pub, everybody seems to know everybody and there's a big crowd for Sunday lunch…read more We've just popped in for a pre-lunch drink after doing for a walk round the river. There's a wide variety of ales and which are not too badly priced. There's a beer garden to the rear and the River Irwell runs past bathe front door. Very quaint!

This place is an undiscovered gem a short trip outside of manchester. With excellent customer…read moreservice, great tasting food and incredibly good prices, it's worth the short car ride from the city centre for a great evening out. Although we went on a Sunday, the menu had plenty of choice, ordering a variety of different meals between us including fillet steak and roast beef, each of which tasted great. I had the roast beef which was fresh and tender, followed by a sticky toffee pudding which was home made and tasted great. The staff were knowledgable about the food, and very professional. Overall everyone enjoyed their night and we were all raving about the quality of the food. If you want a great experience but don't want to break the bank, you should definitely give the Peacock Room a try.

Fantastic event night at the peacock rooms...amazing fine dining food great entertainment...would…read morerecommend without hesitation.