The Bowling Green is the happy-medium of Chorlton pubs. A good ole Irish boozer, it's not quite as trendy as some of it's other Chorlton brothers and sisters. It has a kind of home-from-home feel that the others dont quite manage (you could prob pop out of your house still in your slippers and not feel toooo daft), but its def not a rough and ready place- i.e. there are not too many scary local-yokle men standing outside smoking and growling (as at the Trevor Arms around the corner on Beech Road).
Admittedly it is a wee bit scruffy overall, but I think this is part of it's charm (to be sure!). All on one level with a good sized main bar and seating area and a back room for games (pool, darts). The main room also has two big screens which often have football matches on. Otherwise the music they play is fairly passable well known stuff.
You can while away the hours quite nicely in here, the banquette seating around the edges of both sections is cushioned and cosy, there are lots of little nooks and crannys for private gatherings for sharing secrets or boozy kisses.
This place hits the spot in the summer - a big beer garden with wooden tables out front. Doubles up as a smoking area in the colder months too.
The food is good pub grub - roast sunday dinners are huge servings with decent roasties and proper cuts of meat too. Amoungst the bar snacks selection, they have scampi fries if you aren't hungry enough for the roast. Better not go down the boozy kisses route if you scoff some of those though!
All the wine (there's about 4 bottles of red to choose from, the same in white) is £12 a bottle. No massive cultural experience there, but flushed cheeks guarenteed - happy daze! The selection of beers and ciders in bottles and on tap is a bit unimaginative, but then again its just enough to keep the cockles warmed.
Bottom line is, this pub isnt trying to be anything. Except a pub. Nice one! read more