I went here as a surprise from my brother one time I was staying in the city. I'd never done a tapas style restaurant, or really had any tapas before so this was a new one on me. It was quite busy at the time and was good ambiance ... not ton loud but a lot of people in having a good time. Being the first time, the servers said to order around 3 dishes each and share, and it comes out when it's ready rather than in any order. So we went for a charcuterie board, beef skewers, lamb, skewers, potato's bravas balls, and asparagus. Drinks were a house red, and espresso martini. The service was actually rather quick to come out and every single dish was amazing. It was a little bit expensive but it was totally worth it. 6 dishes, 2 wines, and 2 cocktails came to around £100 read more

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We heard so many reviews about this place when we were in Manchester, so we had to try their tapas. We got a variety of the items and literally loved each and every one of them. They mentioned that their menu changes frequently due to the seasons, but we are so happy and impressed with what was recommended to us by the waiter. Service was awesome, they were attentive, fast and the food of course was so good. I ended up ordering a Mocktail, and my husband and his friend ordered some alcoholic beverages. They absolutely really liked it, and the pricing was decent. One of my favorite dishes was definitely the cauliflower. You definitely have to try it. read more

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INCREDIBLE Everything was spectacular! The food, service, wine, and we sat at the chefs table which was amazing to watch these artisans work. Can't wait for the next time read more

Due to full capacity indoors, we were seated outside. Unfortunately, there were long gaps between each dish, which left us still feeling hungry by the end, as the portions were so spaced out it felt like we ate nothing. We were also served the wrong dishes many times, and the waiter had to ask, "Did you order this?" -- which came across as disorganised and unprofessional. When we raised concerns about the slow service and how cold it was outside due to the long wait times. Shockingly, the waiter responded, "We were busy and you chose to sit outside." That was simply untrue -- we were allocated the outdoor table and had no other option. His attitude was dismissive and rude, offering no apology and continually answering back. The food itself was good, but the poor service and unprofessional behaviour really spoiled the experience. read more

A stone throw away from geographical centre of Manchester, the restaurant is located in the whole building, so prepare to climb the stairs. The tapas selection is one of the most varied I have seen. Portions are decent, three is more than enough for one person. Tapas come out as they are ready rather than all at once, giving you a chance to savour the dish. Everything is so tasty, you don't want to miss a tiny crumble! read more

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High quality food but paid £56 for my 4 tapas, bread and two drinks ! Will return but this is definitely a rare treat for me.

I was pleasantly surprised by El Gato Negro -- was happy that we were able to get seated at the bar (where you can order food as well) without a reservation (came in around 8pm on a Tuesday). A table ended up freeing up about 20 mins later, but we decided to stay at the bar. The quality of food is high, and the value is good. For two people (one drink, three tapas per person and a shared dessert), the total+VAT came out to 90 GBP, or about $110 USD total, which I would happily spend again for the same dinner Meal highlights: Bikini sandwich (a fancy grilled cheese), Beef Short Ribs, Croquettes. The only dish that I would probably skip were the king prawns -- didn't taste super fresh. This restaurant is also recognized as a "Bib Gourmand" restaurant on the Michelin guide. read more

So I have seen this place a few times ..having booked a table in advance I was led up stairs to quite a romantic soft glow place. Having taken my coat the waiters asked if we had been here before..I shook my head.. she advised that 3 plates each would suffice. Depite this we were still defeated! We selected potato bravas, cheese garlic focaccia, brisket, croquettes, chicken harissa with chickpeas, ribs and this crab avocado concoction. The crab was very creatively served but it was like a powerfil fishy gazpacho..yuck not for me! Everything else was as tender and moist as you like and served in a well timed manner. Oh and thank you Henry W I chose the croquets under you recommendation. You were not over exaggerating these were sublime!! Unfortunately despite enjoying everything it looked like we did not make a worthy dent in the food! I really wish I had ask ed for a doggy bag because there was so much left. Each plate was around £7 if not a little more for some dishes but the portions were very generous unlike the standard tapas places you may come across. Overall lovely atmosphere and great food. It is not the cheapest but tapas never Is? read more

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The dishes are fast and fresh. Surprise to eat such authentic Spanish food here. There are alcohol-free drinks! read more

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As others have mentioned it's not easy to get a table here - our 1830 booking on Sunday was one of the most hospitable times available a couple of weeks in advance, and the restaurant was pretty full when we arrived. It's a gorgeous interior and even though we were relatively speaking in one of the worst positions we were still very comfortable - good chairs! The music is at a perfect level for chatting while enhancing the atmosphere. We drastically over-ordered but the bill really wasn't too bad considering, and I think you could be full here on £20 a head for food which isn't cheap but it is a nice restaurant. I don't think anything for me really stood out except the squid with black ink rice, which I thought had a great flavour combining the richness of the ink with lemon although I agreed with my friend (who didn't enjoy it at all) that some of the squid was quite tough. Her favourite dish was the sherry glazed ribs - the meat certainly was perfectly cooked although I thought the glaze was pretty standard (I still wouldn't go anywhere except Cane & Grain for ribs in Manchester). Otherwise I thought everything was really pretty good if not amazing. I like that the menu has some interesting choices - we particularly liked the morcilla scotch eggs with delicious tiny perfectly cooked eggs inside. The heritage carrots sounded appealing and had a perfect sweetness but were overwhelmed by the pesto sauce which i would just ditch altogether. I liked the salt cod croquetas although my friend didn't, she was more keen on the manchego with figs - a nice way to enhance a classic cheese although ultimately ordering cheese and meat platters isn't my bag as that I can prepare myself. The chicharron isn't something you can too readily pick up at the supermarket though, so I would suggest that if you're looking for some sliced meat. Finally the classic patatas bravas apparently didn't match those from Iberica which my friend said are the best ever (I must go verify that), but I thought they were really nice nonetheless - well soaked in oil! Service was generally good and all our dishes came out quickly apart from the last two (which was good as we were already super full). The bill was also delayed but not a big deal when sitting in a nice place. Oh btw apparently the white rioja is very good. It's quite a different concept from La Bandera and on the face of it more experimental but for me it's La Bandera that's still coming out with the more interesting and memorable flavours, but el Gato has more beautiful surroundings suitable for date night or a special occasion. read more

El Gato Negro - Squid with squid ink rice - Spanish Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Having heard much about El Gato Negro since it opened, I have wondered how good it actually is with all the hype. I was meeting the ladies for dinner one evening and we decided to pop in, although to our dismay we discovered that they were fully booked up. I endeavoured to organise another meeting to try this place out. That fateful day eventually arrived, although one of my friends couldn't make it in the end. However, by this point she had visited El Gato Negro prior and so, I went in with my other friend to try the menu out. The interior is quite cosy, but the large windows help to bring in a lot of light. There is an open roof terrace on the top floor, which is no doubt good for those Summer evenings. There is a lot on the menu and our waitress suggested 2 or 3 plates per person. My friend and I opted for 5 plates total and chose a balance of veg, seafood and meat. SLOW ROAST WHITE ONIONS Slow roast white onions with chargrilled artichokes and manchego rice The onions were perfectly roasted and charred slightly on the edges; it combined well with the creaminess of the manchego rice. A nice easy plate to eat. HERITAGE CARROTS Heritage carrots, aubergine purée, miso and walnut pesto dressing I really liked this dish. The carrots were not overcooked and still had some bite to it. The miso and walnut pesto dressing went well with the carrots and the aubergine puree added that hint of creaminess. I also really love the colours of the dish. BABY CHICKEN Baby chicken with lemon, garlic, paprika and romesco sauce The chicken was cooked well and was still moist inside; you can taste the lemon, garlic and paprika. The romesco sauce was flavoursome also. SQUID WITH BLACK INK RICE Squid with black ink rice, lemon and parsley salad I hate rubbery squid but this dish did not contain any of that. The squid had a good bite and the rice was cooked perfectly without being too soggy or too hard. I like the presentation of this dish too, with the tentacles laid to a side. CHARGRILLED OCTOPUS Chargrilled octopus with capers, shallots and aioli The octopus was also cooked to perfection with a good bite to the meat. This place does seafood justice so I thoroughly recommend ordering some if you like seafood! VALRHONA CHOCOLATE DELICE Feeling quite full but greedy for dessert, my friend and I opted to share a dessert and deliberately chose something light. Normally, this would be citrus based dessert, but as there was none we opted for the Valrhona chocolate delice. This cake was absolutely gorgeous! The slice is very, very light but full of that chocolate flavour we all know and love. The price is ever so slightly more expensive than Iberica, but I feel the quality of food is about the same. I feel the hype of this place has also had a hand to play with the pricing. The service can be a bit spotty as it took a while to get the attention of someone for anything. We did have to wait a while to get a normal drinks menu as we were only given the alcoholic one, and my friend was heavily pregnant at the time. Please book in advance to guarantee a table, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings! I would recommend coming here for a special occasion. The food is expensive but worth it for a fancy night out. I really recommend the seafood! read more

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Cool bar and restaurant with roof top terrace. We tried daiquiris with a twist. Priced at £8.50 each . we sat in the roof top terrace area. The restaurant looked interesting and the menu a must try. It was a flying visit and decided we have to go back and try n he tapas and. Wine special for £40 Mon. To Thursday include s 6 tapas and a bottle if wine . read more

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I´d heard really mixed reviews from a few friends in Manchester, so I thought the best thing to do was to go and see this black cat that everybody was talking about. Now as others have previously mentioned, that´s easier said than done. The only other black cat that i´ve ever had this much trouble to try and see, was a friendś cat called Salem. The online booking certainly helps (not with Salem the cat... he´ll still scratch your eyes out) and we were able to get a table for the following week at the weird time in between dinner and tea (or lunch and dinner, if your talk well proper). The place is absolutely beautiful inside, and you can tell that no expense was spared in the fit out. The lighting is soft and warm, with the music a perfect accompaniment to get you relaxed and ready to eat. The bar is extensive and i was really pleased to see the range of ciders that i have previously only every drank in Spain itself. Cocktails are a little overpriced, but made well enough for the higher price tag, and there´s a selection of beers/ lagers on draft as well as in bottles. Now onto the important bit... the grub. To start we opted for a selection of Spanish meats and Catalan bread. The meat portion was well selected, and we actually got a rather large portion. The Catalan bread, was the best bit of the entire meal! It was absolutely delicious....so much so, that we ordered an extra portion. We also had meatballs, potatas bravas, octopus and the king prawns. Overall the quality of the food was certainly high. Not high enough to be fine dining, but certainly fabulous tapas. What let it down for me was the price. The cost of our meal and a couple of drinks was over 80 quid, which I think is slightly high. However I would definitely come back for a special occasion if I really fancied good quality tapas in England. read more

I had a lovely time at El Gato Negro in beautiful surroundings and happy and full of delicious food and wine. As we were ordering from the £30 set menu we didn't have to stress over the menu and just waited for the food to start arriving. I'll go through everything in turn because why not: - Padron peppers: this isn't really a dish that differs however these were very tasty with tasty chunks of sea salt - Catalan bread with tomato: so oily, but so delicious - Selection of Spanish meats with celeriac remoulade: obviously excellent. All the meat was a nice temperature (as in not fridge cold) and the celeriac remoulade was good although possibly a little too I mustardy - Mini Catalan chorizo: I did not *love* these, however I'll chalk that up to personal taste as others at the table seemed very happy with them. They were tasty but definitely not my favourite dish of the night - Patatas bravas: this seems like another dish that must be hard to get wrong, however these were definitely done right. A great strong garlic flavour - Tiger prawns: due to portion size I only got one of these and I would have liked so many more. Very juicy and meaty - Salt cod croquetas: the presentation of these elicited a few giggles round the table (think round croqueta with another round dollop of sauce on top, served in pairs...) but they definitely weren't a joke to eat, lovely and soft in texture with a mild but delicious flavour - Chargrilled lamb skewers: again I didn't love these while others at the table did. A bit chewy which is always a risk with lamb that isn't cooked for a very long time. There was a delicious sauce on the plate however this got whisked away before I managed to scoop much of it up! - Heirloom tomato and avocado salad: this again evoked mixed reactions as myself and Jess D loved it but mostly everyone else regarded it with suspicion. It had bread in it which is a great addition to a salad in my eyes Then the waitress talked us into getting dessert so we got two dessert platters for the table. Now this was excellent. It had doughnuts, madeleines, pistachio cake, tangerine cheesecake, crumble, and creme Catalan. Everything was so good! I even liked the crumble which is something I would never choose from a menu. The above, with wine, set me back £50. So definitely not what you'd call cheap but also not excessive for a very good feed. read more

El Gato Negro - Dessert sharer - Spanish Near Me - Manchester, XGM

My go to really for Spanish tapas love it here. Better than some places in Spain.

Awesome tapas bar. For certain try the shrimp, charcuterie platter, salmon and toast.

Quiet disappointed. Food was odourless and bland. Not to mention that the portions are small considering the price. The staff was attentive, that's a good point but not enough for me to come back. read more

Came here for a meal on a weekday and sat at the bar on the 3rd floor as I was dining solo. I got the oysters, octopus and shrimp. Everything was superb. The shrimps were juicy and flavorful, the dip was a great addition. The octopus was also cooked perfectly, super tender and well seasoned. The onions and potatoes also complemented the dish very well. This has been my best meal in Manchester so far. If you're touring Manchester, definitely recommend you to check this out read more

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Great ambiance and selection of Spanish tapas. Perfect place to go on a cold Manchester winter night. The food is not cheap but worth it as they're meticulously prepared. We tried the octopus, grilled chicken thigh, jamón platter, salted cod croquette, etc. The dishes were perfectly prepared. Only the patatas bravas was a tad soggy but the sauce was nice nevertheless. Would definitely come back again! read more

El Gato Negro - Spanish Near Me - Manchester, XGM

How on earth am I the first Yelper to review this! Fabulous tapas in the heart of Manchester, bringing authentic Spanish flavours to King Street. From the open kitchen to the blood red velvet booths, everything about this place is vibrant. It's refreshing being able to see the chefs working together in front of you, and the food is so fresh and tasty! Varied menu with a selection of seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes. I loved the pork ribs and the Agua de Valencia cocktail! Full review coming on Tasting Britain soon, but definitely check this place out... Great deals too!! read more

Not impressed with this place. Here's why. Went in for lunch with people from work today. I have to say, I was surprised at how much each plate costs. After all, we're talking tapas here. The waitress told us it was best to get at least three dishes each because they were 'very small'. A quick calculation meant I'd be shelling out about £27. But I thought I'd splash out and go with a selection of three. However, when the dishes arrived, the portion sizes were very generous for a tapas joint. In fact, they were huge. So don't be lulled into buying three plates, because two is plenty. We are all tapas fans, so we know the dishes come out in 'shifts'. However, the delivery of the food was WAY off. About 10 minutes after placing our order, my friend and I were delighted that our croquettes arrived (which were delicious) but then...crickets. No more food came out for the table until about 20 minutes later, and it was only the three plates of the same prawn dish ordered by a few of the crew. Then...more crickets. Until about another 20 minutes when the chorizo came out for two of the people at the table. Mind you, there were two people at the table who had yet to receive food of any kind at this point. Another 20 minutes, and a plate of ribs and one plate of chicken came out. I was revolted that two pieces of the chicken were raw. One piece of breast meat was cooked on the edges but the center was pink. A piece of wing and drumstick was so raw it was still clucking. Another 20 minutes, and two plates of meatballs came out, but only after someone at our table (who had yet to eat anything other than what the rest of us gave him out of sympathy) asked where his food was. When the meatballs arrived, one of the guys asked what the delay was, and the waitress said 'Uh, I guess you don't know how it works. We bring the food out when it's ready' in the snottiest, most obnoxious tone I've heard in a long while. After an hour and 20 minutes (and still waiting for two dishes), we had to rocket back to work. When we explained to one waitress we had to go, she said she would go check on when the missing dishes would be ready. We said we couldn't wait any longer, and she said 'it's OK it will only take another 5 minutes or so'. No, that wasn't ok. So she said she would be right back, but after 10 minutes with no sign of her, we flagged down a waiter and explained that we had to go. He said he, too, would go check on where the food was. WE DON'T WANT THE FOOD ANYMORE. WE JUST WANT THE CHECK PLEASE. He ran off and dissappeared somewhere, and after no one seemed too interested in letting us pay, we walked to the front of the restaurant to plead with someone to get our check so we can get back to work. Our original waitress re-emerged and apologized for the delay as she ran my card through the machine. As I waited for the receipt, we tried to make her feel better by saying it wasn't her fault. And then, as if to rub salt in the wound....she said.....next time, you shouldn't come here if you have to rush through lunch. Rush?? As if WE had inconvenienced THEM. I was aghast at that comment. This isn't Michelin star cuisine, hun..it's tapas. The food was good, but not worth the price or the wait. read more

Food was decent. Service was so-so, they kept interrupting the conversation when it was least optimal. I'm a bit confused as to why this place received a bib gourmand rating from Michelin. In my humble opinion, it was very over priced given the simple tapas dishes. I would have given El Gato Negro more stars if the food quality/presentation to price ratio were a bit better. I did, however, like the super cozy atmosphere, and it's one of the few places in Manchester where they don't blast the music. read more

I went here with a job candidate for round 2 of our interviews. The reviews were awesome and it was close to the office so it was a no brainer. The decor is nice and I think the ambience would have been great had we come on a weekend or when it's not raining. As it was though, it was the middle of the week with a bit of rain so the place was a bit dead and empty. I can see this place maybe as a 4/5 but definitely not a 5 star. Perhaps there just aren't as many options in Manchester. But for me, it was a solid 3 stars and no more. You're not going to be unhappy with your experience but don't come in with high expectations either. I wish there was just a bit more choices for food but it is what it is. read more

They have recently won a few awards so thought it was about time to try it out after walking past nearly everyday. Food was really good, if not the best tapas I've had in the U.K. and the best croquettes I have ever eaten! Although the star of the show was the chargrilled chicken thighs. Have to say though the prices are pretty steep. 7 tapas, 2 cocktails, large wine and 1/2 pint. £80 inc service. read more

This has become a firm favourite of mine the tapas were all made freshly and tasted delicious plus a very special system they don't charge fit any of the mineral water you drink with or without gas . The rooftop upstairs is refreshingly fun to see Manchester .. Good luck to the restaurant I hope it's around for a very long time read more