At last, there's a bar where you can go and hear freak-folk, weird country and free jazz! Run by a local muso, Dulcimer is a small bar on Wilbraham Road in Chorlton. The school blue exterior is shocking but inside it's simply decorated with brick walls, wooden tables and chairs and awesome, limited edition, music and film posters. They have cool singer-songwriters playing occasionally and deejays like Twisted Nerve / Finders Keepers boss Andy Votel playing a couple of nights each week. Drinks wise, they stock everything from quality spirits to great local ales whilst foodies have a choice of homemade soup or a cheese board with strong cheddars and local bread from the Barbikan deli. For me personally though, it's all about the great tunes, friendly staff and the fact you can hear Wendy & Bonnie whilst sipping your Guiness! read more

Dulcimer - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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I hadn't been in Dulcimers for a long time but headed down there for a new book club meeting. They appear to have done a refit and the interior now has an extra bar upstairs which is a great addition. There were lots of cushions on the seats which made me want to sit down and spend the evening there. The barman quite happily made my favourite drink for me although it wasn't officially on the menu. They have a great range of beers and a cosy interior. I need to get back there for a proper evening and can't wait for the next book club. read more

Something about the exterior of Dulcimer has never appealed to me - something oddly old-fashioned that I couldn't put my finger on that led to me walking past it on a few occasions. Now I've been inside it's a whole different story. I like Dulcimer. In fact I like it a lot. So much that every time I'm in it I can't help but exclaim, at least once, 'I really like this place'. Why? Many reasons. - A great range of beer and staff who are friendly and knowledgeable. - I've never eaten here but I love the simplicity of the menu. Also the weekday deal on the board/platter things sounds like a total steal. - The outdoor seating is lovely and I would like to publicly stake my claim over it for the summer please and thanks. - No room to sit? Pop upstairs where there's loads more searing and, delightfully, another bar. - Once again, never been to any sort of event here but I'm impressed that they provide you with a list of what's occurring that month. Overall I think this place is pretty excellent. It even got my dad's full stamp of approval! read more

Fantastic coffee, fantastic bar staff and a fantastic addition to the Chorlton scene. Interior for this bar is great: bare brick walls with lots of pictures. This place is not just 'another Chorlton Bar' it is a valuable addition with a great friendly atmosphere and great prices. This bar made me think twice about how little I visit Chorlton for nights out. It is bound to make great impression with everyone. read more

Dulcimer - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Dulcimer has Fruli on tap...it was going to get five stars for that alone! But they definitely earn five stars anyway for just how great this bar is. It's a bit of a weird location, slap bang in the middle of Chorlton, this place would be so at home in the Northern Quarter...but Chorlton is getting more and more like the Northern Quarter all of the time, especially now Oddest has sprung up! This bar is perfect for meeting up with old friends for a coffee and a chat, great to start off a big night and amazing for a few quiet ones. It suits everyone. The staff are great, laid back but not lazy, it's just comfortable in every way possible. read more

Dulcimer - "Website Photo" - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

It's probably fair to say that Dulcimer is the most popular bar in Chorlton. The selection of drinks ranges from a wide range of tasty British ales, to sickly sweet German Früli to bottles of Peruvian Cusquena. Prices are a little more expensive than in certain other bars in Chorlton, but despite this the bar never fails to fill up and is often full to bursting point on Friday and Saturday nights, with the crowd spilling out onto Wilbraham Road's narrow pavement. Dulcimer's acoustic and folk gigs are also really popular, and are always advertised on posters and flyers inside the bar. The chalkboard outside also forewarns you of important dates for your diary (at the moment it is displaying whiskey offers for Burn's night). After many good nights with a pint of Guinness in a bustling Dulcimer, I decided it was time to show it off to my other half. I took him in on a weekday evening, we ordered two pints of ale and went upstairs, where there were only a couple of others, who seemed to be using the bar some sort of a business meeting. "So, what do you think?" I asked. "It reminds me of my old youth club," was his response. With its minimalist bare brick walls, weird posters, lack of atmosphere (on this rare occasion) and (as described by Emma-Louise) e-bay furniture I could see exactly where he was coming from. So what? It's a bloody good youth club which serves tasty alcohol and plays great music. See you down there. read more

Dulcimer - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

I'm not sure whether I admire its pomp or think its plain pompous, either way any bar that attempts to hold a 3 day Woodstock tribute event is giving it 110%! Actually, I've made up my mind, how can you not admire that? All too often now it is the lazy arrogance of bars that makes them such depressing places to be. Dulcimers obvious love for what it does gives a it a vitality and vibrancy that belies its 'British Legion meets French cafe' kit-out. With so many fantastic acts playing here so regularly it is impossible to single any one band out but my tip is to keep a lookout for who's playing the Thursday slot, you'll often stumble across a real end of leg. Dando Shaft, Tudor Lodge, Meic Stevens, Heather Jones, Magic Carpet and the Incredible String Band's Robin Williamson have all made at least one appearance. read more

Dulcimer - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Dulcimer is almost the perfect bar for the nouveaux-twee that reside in Manchester's most hummousy 'burb. It's a place of beards, Birkenstocks, licorice roll-ups, real ales, posters of folk-rock royalty, girls with floaty sleeves and folk and psychedelic music pumping out of some genuine '70s speaker stacks. This could well sound like hell to some, but for many, it's an ideal ale-house. The only drawback with Dulcimer is that it can be a victim of its own success. Friday and Saturday can be very busy and the yard at the back can be overcrowded if you want a quick smoke (or to escape the heat of the main throng). However, to mark Dulcimer down for that would be pure folly. It's not like they're expected to turn people away just because it's a bit full. Everyone in there looks like they're in a band (and in many cases, actually are). Don't let that put you off though. The egos are usually left at the door. Personally, my main problem with it is that it's in Chorlton and a pain to get back from after a skinful. However, if you're local, you should certainly give it a try. It's a muso's dream. read more

Dulcimer - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Have you ever seen A Mighty Wind? It's the much underrated mockumentary from the chaps that brought us Spinal Tap, only this time their target was folk music. No one is safe! Unfortunately, when I hear the words 'folk music' it is this film that comes to mind, however: visiting Dulcimer has made folk cool again in my book, returning it to its hippy free-love cool as opposed to bald heads and beards. The award-nominated self-proclaimed folk bar Dulcimer in Chorlton, located on the magical yellow-brick road of bars and restaurants known as Wilbraham, is a bare brick (you know how I love bare brick) extravaganza of traditional music and rustic atmosphere. With a large and varied choice of beers, including my favourite strawberry Fruli on tap, they pretty much had me from the moment I walked in the door. Except for a slight problem. The blonde generally drinks Malibu and lemonade, so Dulcimer made life a little bit harder for her when they claimed not to serve Malibu. She opted for sloe gin instead but after a couple of drinks that ran out, leaving her rather stumped. However, the bartenders were friendly and patient so it didn't scupper our experience too much. Having done a little research on old Dulcimer, I've realised that the rustic feel comes from the fact that the building was stripped back to the original features were still intact, and furniture and fittings were sought via many long searches on eBay. So there's a real homely bric-a-brac feel to the place, and this makes for a great hang out in which to relax and while the day away, or wind down in the evening. Folk figureheads both opened the bar and select the music, so you can be sure you're in safe and very relevant hands when chilling out here. As well as beers there's plenty for the wine buff to get excited about, and the bar itself is set out so perfectly and spaciously that you can actually spend time browsing the selections before placing your order. Food is traditionally British in snack form with a great emphasis on cheeses and chutneys, two of my favourite things, and, well, the opportunity to taste cheese alongside real ales and wine is always a positive thing. Soups and homemade cakes are also on offer, and the free wifi access means you can settle yourself down there for work or play. It's places like this that make me happy to go the extra few miles to visit Chorlton. If Dulcimer could provide Sting in his barefoot lute-playing phase, it would be just about perfect. read more

Dulcimer is not a bad bar which is located on Wilbraham Road in Chorlton. There are selection of drinks ranges from a wide range of ales, to sickly sweet German Früli to bottles of Peruvian Cusquena. I was surprised the bar was fairly quite for a Saturday night. The staff were highly knowledgeable and really helpful. It's not bad but it not my kind of place. Then again it is my opinion. read more

I didn't massively get the hype of Dulcimer when visiting a couple of weeks ago, maybe it was because it was fairly dead on a Saturday night but I found it all a bit open and lacking in atmosphere. I have friends who speak highly of it here and have reviewed it well so maybe I need to pay a return visit soon, but on this occasion it all seemed a bit flat. The bar staff were friendly and up for a chat while I was waiting for my beer but I didn't think a huge amount of the beers all on pump weren't that exciting and all seemed very like old man beer. I was hoping for some really great beers on offer with some super strong hop offerings. Hopefully next time I visit it will be a bit busier and more action packed! read more

A good selection of beers and window seats with comfy cushions - need I say more? Food was reasonably priced (most dishes we read about were £5) and looked nice, although we didn't sample any so I can't comment on the taste. There's a great selection of bars snacks; from pickles to pretzels. The music choices were brilliant. It's clear that they support local brewers and bands from the posters in the windows. A real community spirited place and a must if you're in the area. As with most places, don't expect much change from a tenner after choosing 2 pints - but it seems justified in such a laidback, pleasant atmosphere. If I lived nearer, I can imagine spending many a tenner in Dulcimer. See you there! read more

This review may have to be "reviewed" in the near future. But considering the very rich offering in Chorlton, I haven't been personally convinced all that much by Dulcimer. An OK selection of beers but a very blokey atmosphere, not a big fan of the decor etc. It's alright but it doesn't feel like my kind of place. But then again those things are very personal read more

I've been here a couple of times. The atmosphere is nice here. Sometimes there is band performing & I quite enjoyed the show last night. There are a number of bars nearby, so it's a good place to start from or end up with for bar crawls. read more

Dulcimer - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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Seriously impressed by their beer selection. I nipped in here on a wander around Chorlton but sadly only had time to grab a half. Beavertown 'Gamma Ray', though, so a pretty excellent half! It struck me as a cool little place, cosy and relaxed, lots of wood in the decor, which I always like. They frequently have live music on; in fact, it seems that Dulcimer is playing an integral role in keeping the live music scene in Chorlton as vibrant as it is! They are currently advertising their Spring Ale Fest in conjunction with LoveBeer (17th - 21st April). Free entry, forty beers, ciders and perries, and the launch of the Dulcimer/First Chop Brewing Arm collab beer. I rather think so. Oh - and if you happen to be a CAMRA member, there's a 10% discount in the offing. See you there! read more

Nice bar with lots of places to sit. There were big boards advertising a 50% off food deal the last time k went, but apparently that's not running any more :( there's a good range of drinks available and the staff are great! There's a pub quiz there which I've always wanted to enter but never got round to! Great location in the centre of Chorlton - easily accessible by bus or tram. Well worth a visit! read more

Dulcimer - Means 'cuddle' in Welsh! - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Sadly, from the looks of things Dulcimer and its sister venue, Chilango have both closed their doors for now. (Well, it was in Manchester Confidential which means it must be true - http://www.manchesterconfidential.co.uk/Sleuth/Sleuth/Sleuth-07012011_16543.asp?eid=1244 ) This is a crying shame, because I'm sure that I'm not the only freelancer in Chorlton who used to shack up in Dulcimer during the day to gorge themselves on pate and pints whilst they were working, and then pop down there at night to sup on real ale whilst listening to a bit of folk. I also used to love their Krautrock nights which often saw me shaking my booty in a rather unladylike manner to Can, as well as the live gigs they'd often put on there. Rumour has it that Dulcimer is being done up and will soon rise like a phoenix from the flames. I hope so. Somehow I can't really imagine Chorlton without it. read more

Well what can I say? All the previous reviews here WERE accurate, this place used to be a nice bar with a good range of beers and friendly staff. Now though...I'm not sure how this person even got hired, but there is a horribly condescending male bar tender that works there now. Incredibly rude and accused myself and my friends of being 12 years old (just for reference I am 23 years old). I of course asked to speak to the manager after being treated like this, to which he responded that he the manager! In which case I would recommend never entering this place again, if a MANAGER of a place treats their clientele like this then the place really has gone to pot. I wouldn't recommend going to Dulcimer anymore unless you like being patronised and verbally abused. Please Dulcimer if you read this either fire this incompetent employee or at the very least send him on a course outlining how to talk to human beings in general, let alone customers of your establishment. read more

I'm a regular here and have been for about four years. They have a lovely list of red wines that have been killer staples for some time, and never fail me! They also know what makes a great pint, with tonnes of real ale, premier lagers and proper ciders. It's an awesomely folky vibe with excellent bands and a legend of a local DJ. One of my favourite places! I've spent entire summers out back in an advanced state of refreshment. Oh cider. Oh cheese. read more

yippie skippie, dulcimer is back! okay, it's been back for a good 3 months. but still, those few months when it was closed was a dreadful way to start the new year. still a fantastic selection of beer/cider (including all those yummy real ales/ciders), and now a more diverse range of snacks - sometimes a bowl of crispy pretzels just does the trick. wonderful music, including live music nights again. if this wasn't enough, they have a lovely selection of hot drinks. best bar around! read more

Great selection of beers (though you will pay a heavy fee for some of the more obscure ones) and a decent little place. When I do go here I enjoy it, but as they play nothing else but folk music I find it difficult to steer myself in there! That's to do with my musical tastes though, not Dulcimer. read more

Not sure why I haven't reviewed this before, which is unforgivable since it's practically at the end of my road and I go there fairly often. Dulcimer only looks small from the outside, squeezed as it is in an otherwise non-descript row of shops, but like the TARDIS it is actually much bigger than it originally appears. The decor is very simplistic, the walls stripped back to reveal the brickwork with strategically placed folk paraphenalia dotted all around the bar, while the bar furniture is entirely wooden, no fancy sofas in this place! It's spread over two floors, with the top floor often used as an intimate gig venue. They also have a small beer yard out the back. The bar is well stocked with a good selection of real ales, lagers, ciders, wines and spirits, it's a very impressive selection they have so I'm sure there's something to interest everybody! Don't be put off by the folk bar tag if you're not a fan of that particular type of music, as they do try to mix it up a bit - local resident Damon Gough (aka Badly Drawn Boy) played a gig there last night and will be again soon. Even if you haven't come for the music, its still a great place to go for a few drinks, even when it's busy it doesn't seem overcrowded. They do great food during the day too, mainly homemade sandwiches (very tasty!), soups and patés. It's been nominated for Bar of the Year at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival 2008, the only bar outside the city centre to be put forward, and it's a well deserved nomination. Definitely worth a visit if you're passing! read more

Being stuck in Chorlton when my car broke down, I popped into Dulcimer for a coffee, but when I smelt the lovely cooking smells drifting in from the kitchen I had to have some of their home made soup. Being undecisive, I couldn't decide between the two on offer (minestrone or spicy pumpkin), so the chef brought me out a mini bowl so I could try them both - what a treat! The soup was delicious, and even though it was a quiet Tuesday lunchtime, there was still a lovely atmosphere, and I will make a point of returning there on my next visit. Their nights look good too, with an interesting array of musical choices, and if they're as pleasant in the by night as they were by day, then it's a place not to miss read more

It's hard to keep up with the bars springing up every 15 minutes or so in Chorlton, and many of them seem to have been cut from the same threadbut it's a quality thread all the same. I was here yesterday having always neglecting the bar over others in the area - instantly it's become one of my favourites. I had a coffee, a member of our group was recommended a real nice bottled beer, so thumbs up to yet another establishment in Chorlton which know their beers inside out. The coffee was spot on by the way. The interior is perfect for the type of bar it is - stripped back, bare brick walls with paintings scattered on the walls - it reminds me of the type of bar you would find in Barcelona, or indeed Chorlton itself. It was opened last year by a Lee Janda - a guy clearly in love with music and records. In fact, the background music stood out like an angel gravitating to our (well minenobody else seemed to notice the musicheathens!). There is another room upstairs and it is here you're likely to find the live music acts (this is a folk bar afterall). I'll be returning here as soon as possible. read more

Went to Dulcimer at the weekend, for the first time. I loved it, friendly staff, reasonably priced beer and a very cosy atmosphere. I will definately be going back very soon. read more

a great bar, exceptional selection of beers ales ciders etc staff nice and knowledgable always popular sometimes great little gigs incl badly drawn boy whos played a few times and various other cool people dj sets loooong way to toilets practically in the roof but clean so all forgiven flipping nightmare getting a seat or a table at any time and im a regular, the coverted tables must be permanantley in use 2-4 pm you might score one lol never any trouble in here and its close to elektrik bar too wich is another top venue. and a top chippy next door too criticisms? none really,bit folky crowd at times lots of beards and checked shirts and sometimes music way too loud but thats prob just me, enjoy read more

I was looking up the address of this bar and was informed that this is a folk bar. I suppose thinking about it it makes sense but I have never been there when there has been any folk music on. And I have been quite a few times. Whenever there is a new bar in Chorlton I go there every time I go out and Dulcimer did not disappoint. Friendly staff, reasonable prices, good selection of drinks, good atmosphere, plenty of seats. So as you can imagine I was pleased until...I went there when it was about minus 5 outside and the heating was not on! It was freezing, but I was meeting someone and I had already bought a drink when I realised. When I enquired at the bar the staff were very understanding and explained that the heating had broken and it was going to cost thousands to fix. Not interested I said - I won't be coming back until it's fixed. So hence my 2 star rating - freezing cold and no sign outside warning cutomers. It would have been a 4 otherwise. read more

My great Chorlton pub crawl now has an extra venue - Pi, Marble Beer - and now Dulcimer. Why did it take me so long to visit this superb beer house? Maybe because of the dodgy shops around it. But once inside, sit back and take in the surroundings. Great place and a firm fixture on my occasional Friday night crawl. Yes I am a lady with kids but I can still do a traditional ale house pub crawl every so often. read more