Decent ambiance and food, when you want a chill vibe! I met up with friends here for an evening out…read moreand it did not disappoint. The food was okay; slightly overpriced, but the servings were big. The drinks were pretty fun and not too expensive, and they have many on 2-4-1! If you stay late, there's always good music and some dancing to groove your worries away.

went for bottomless brunch and server Robyn was amazing. Very prompt service, very friendly with…read moreawesome recommendations. brunch was amazing value with cocktail upgrade. Had amazing afternoon.

A decent bar with the necessary amount of tv channels. Found some drinks not available elsewhere.read more

Seeking an outdoor-beer-consumption-venue, my friend and I bypassed the slightly sleazy Canal…read moreStreet and headed to Joshua Brooks. Our slightly early start to 'evening drinks' on a Tuesday meant we were able to score a table on their small terrace area overlooking the river. It is a great place to sit - protected from the breeze and in direct line for the afternoon sunshine. It is small though so I'm sure in peak summer drinking season it will be hard to get a seat. There was a really good selection of beer on tap with plenty of local options. It looks like they do some good food too - I might need to come back for their pie and a pint deal. It was reasonably priced as well which is always a good thing. The only downside was the toilets - despite a low number of customers, the toilets were dirty, there was no soap and the hand dryer didn't work. Plus most of the cubicles didn't have functioning locks. In the scheme of things, this probably doesn't really matter (although soap is definitely a must) but a good toilet does make or break a place. If they work on their ablutions I might give them five stars next time.

Another addition to the trendy Northern Quarter line up. Blackdog Ball room certainly has balls,…read morepool balls to be precise. A bar come diner come pool hall in a prime NQ spot must be a winner. The decor is fresh and suitably trendy. I visited on a busy Saturday night but it was perhaps too busy to get a feel for the place. I'd like to go back early evening and have a bite to eat. The food is being overseen by Anthony Fielden of Northern Quarter Restaurant so that gives me hope. I was a little miffed that although they advertise cocktails the guy behind the bar looked at me like I had just asked for a bowl of milk. No cocktails on offer but the other drinks were reasonably priced for that area. I was in there on a reconnaissance mission, and would have been interested to check it out anyway, but felt a lot of the clientele were in there because they thought they'd be classed as the 'cool set'. That just means everyone is watching everyone else and forgets to actually have fun. Luckily my friends and I snared a table and set about doing just that. I felt the music was poor for a Saturday night. I was expecting far better, especially as it's open until 5am. There are loads of good DJ's around who could offer something far more original. It was a bit like listening to a CD that is advertised in the ad breaks between Holyoaks. My friends and I left before I was tempted to 'hang the DJ' and found solace elsewhere. It certainly isn't the jewel in NQ's crown but it's the new kid on the block so perhaps once it has found its feet it'll find a voice I want to listen to on a Saturday night.

It's a source of amazement that I have yet to review Blackdog NQ. I frequent the place so often, my…read moreopinion of it has Yoyo'd countlessly over time. As one of the few places open later than other establishments during the week and due to its spacious nature Blackdog has become the goto place for nightowls / school night revellers / creatives / NQ bar staff... As a result whilst weekday night are somewhat passable, the weekends have become something of a nightmare. Unless you like the idea of grinding every Tom, Dick and stinking Harry on your way to the bar. Unless you like waiting half an hour for a drink, which you're most likely to spill given everyone around you thinks they're MJ reincarnated. It probably isn't your kettle of sardine. However Blackdog is brilliant if you want a game of pool and unwind during the week. It's brilliant for a weeknight in January with chilled vibes as I discovered few days ago. But on a busy night it's better to avoid it.

I never really went out in Fallowfield when I was at uni - it was studenty but not in a good way…read more The city centre was nice, but expensive and full of 'real people'. So more often than not I'd end up drinking at establishments on, or just off, the Oxford Road. Sometimes this was structured into an Oxford Road pub crawl. On numerous occasions the conversation went like this: Friend: Are you coming down Oxford Road? Kirsten: Where abouts are you going? Friend: We'll start in the Grovel, head to the Oxford, down to the Phoenix, the Footage then down to the Pub, Sand... Kirsten: Which pub? Friend: *THE* Pub. Kirsten: *sigh* It's annoying, in the same way that The Bar in Chorlton is quite an annoying name for a bar. I think a more fitting name for it would be 'Just Another Pub'. It sells beer, it's quite cheap, the jazz saxophonist I once heard play in here was quite good, there are always free tables for when Sandbar's full. Yeah, it's definitely not *the* pub to drink in but it is okay for a quick pint.

How is this place still in exsistance?! Some one please buy it and turn it into the nice bar it…read moreshould be. I hate horrible little pubs that aren't ashamed of being horrible little pubs. This place has cheap drinks but not good drinks. Alcopops and the like. Bleugh. It's right near Zoo, a very popular student night so I reckon that's the only reason it's doing ok. But the with Deaf Institute opposite and the Footage on the corner, why would anyone go here?! The name says it all really, this place can not be bothered being anything other than basic.

This rating is based on the 'so called' doorman's attitude. We were stopped from coming in at just…read morebefore 10pm midweek. My friend and I are in our 60s, weren't drunk and were dressed appropriatel. However, he told us "you won't like the vibe in here", to which I responded "that's a bit ageist". He then stated "we dont want old guys in here". If he doesn't change his approach, and learn the law, he won't make it to our age. Perhaps it's not his fault and it's the 'Garretts' management who promote this rule ?

Laid back pub. Had a keg scrumpy in the absence of real ale…read moreand played some pool. My friends loved the pub and when we managed to break a glass with the snooker queue they took it in very good humour, so have to give at least a 3 despite a lack of something really worth drinking.

Out for an early morning breakfast I decided to try the food at Terrace. It's always been one of my…read morelocal spots for a drink, but this was my first time trying food. I'd heard good things about their brunch menu, so I opted for a simple Egg on Toast. Couldn't fault it really. The brunch scene is kicking off massively around the NQ and although terrace was great it didn't quite live up to the brunchiness of rivals Home Sweet Home, Federal and Teacup.

This has to be my favourite bar in Manchester…read more Its the style i like the people i like and everything i love what a bar should be. Its super cool and probably one the coolest bars I've been in, Its super friendly staff and great beers make it even more special. Once you walk through the main door, its cool look strikes you and its like youre in some cool NYC style bar, well this is probably better than some Manhattan bars, Its old building look is great and love the industrial style look is great and i love it! Theres booths to sit around and loads of tables at the back or you can just sip you're beer at the bar. The music level was just right and could hear our friends talking well and clearly. We visited on a wednesday evening and its was quite busy, i don't think they have a happy hour but they don't need too! can't wait to go back!

I've been to some dreadful places in my time, but Corridor is just about the worst of the lot…read more Before I even begin, I'll point you in the direction of what this bar thinks of itself without any trace of irony: "Nobody can tell you you are cool, you just know it. Five years ago, passing somebody in the street wearing white earbuds would elicit a knowing nod although strangers to each other, iPod owners considered themselves a clique, a cabal of cool... knowledge of Corridor's existence and location is spreading, usually by word of mouth and pretty soon, like the iPod it will ingratiate itself to the masses but thanks to the simplicity of the door policy (if you can find it, you can come in) and the focus on great drinks and service. Corridor will be cool for many years to come." Honestly. Anyone reading that with at least a trace of a rudimentary brain-cell should be wanting to hunt the place down and level it with as many explosives and bulldozers as possible. Stepping inside this hell-hole is when the suffering really begins. Red-lights adorn the area, complete with Curiosity Killed The Cat's 'Greatest Hits' being churned out of the in-house PA at ear-bleeding volume, leaving patrons to slink cod-disaffectedly on the red sofas, trying to read each other's lips on the off-chance anyone might say something of even the slightest significance. If they enjoy being here, then it is a safe bet that they're saying nothing interesting at all, leaving everyone else to slump in their chairs wishing someone would come and give them a lethal injection to end the unrelenting misery of this irritating hipster-gland. I managed to find myself faced with an achingly wacky bar-staff, all dressed in lab-coats. One of them fancied himself as something of a comedian. In reality, he was the flesh and bones equivalent of a novelty tie. Alas, no law has been passed where you can force people like him face-first through paper-shredders. To the right of the bar was a 'hilarious' chalk-board with formulas and equations on for patrons to work out. You'd be wrong in thinking that people ignore it as three dunderheads gamely stood by trying to work out whatever pointless equation it was, presumably in the name of a free drink. On top of this, the prices on the bar were extortionate and there was nothing on tap. Anyone who actually pays to buy a bottle of Bud should be thrashed to within an inch of their lives. I got a dark rum concoction and, to be quite frank, it was dismal. Almost apologetically, a fat man in a lab coat was sent around the venue to serve up experimental booze-treats. That means a big spoon with vodka jelly on and some cream that tasted like vermouth. As interesting as it sounded, the screwed up faces belied the polite approval it brought as the fat man revelled in the only attention he'd ever got in his life from absolutely anyone. One good thing about Corridor is that the man who served me my drink was so thick that he gave me a tenner instead of a fiver in my change. I saw that as compensation for having to endure a hideous, grotesque place that had the soulless bon homie of a wine-bar in a crap '80s American sitcom. Thanks to all of the above, this place will no doubt be a runaway success to yapping fools who buy into a supposed exclusivity and irony. Kill it.

This bar is uber uber cool. The creator of socio-rehab produced this place so it was always…read moredestined for good things. Bringing a feel of New York style to Manchester's Left Bank, Corrider 'is a cocktail lounge for late-night chicks and dudes and city slickers, with a Jazz, Soul and Funk nights to entertain you. All I will say further to this is- This place ROCKS!

For a small club with a limited amount of (mainly uncomfortable) seating, "42s" always delivers…read more You come here to dance. Dance to current indie/ britpop/ madchester and that is where 42nd Street is in it's element. You are usually a student or at least still dress like one. And you will appreciate the cheap student entry and cheap drinks. The comparisons to 5th Avenue are endless: personally I prefer 42s. Ok, its not big enough to run around and lose people and end up drinking on your own, say. But it does capture that New York dingy charm more. Either get sweaty and shout out the lyrics to The Smiths, Oasis and The Killers in the middle or join the handful of posers lounging on the one couch by the entrance. They are launching a request driven night on Mondays now 'PMT' which stands for Play My Tune - weird choice for the name but we'll forgive them. Other than that, you have 'Glamourous Indie Rock n Roll' on Fridays and their 'The Best Indie Night ever ...' on Tuesdays. And, be warned the bouncers do NOT take kindly to bare feet. A friend paid to put her high heels in the cloakroom once and then was immediately told she would be kicked out if she didn't put shoes back on. Fair enough but she didn't get a refund...

For 42nd St read 5th Ave. This place almost completely makes…read morethe point of my review of the 5th all by itself! Just like its bigger, better brother who went on to do better things with his life therefore creating something of a strained relationship, 42nd Street plays indie till your ears bleed and serves cheap vodka redbull until your wallet bleeds dry. But they don't care!! They're students and they're pissed!! Hurrah!! Hmmmm.......