FAB has to be my favourite bar in Manchester. It may seem a little grungy on first inspection the bar is actually very good. The prices are exceptional for Manchester and I have rarely seen it over crowded so there is no 30 minute wait at the bar for a drink. They have a number of specialist and national beers on tap as well as in bottles and bottles of alcopops and shots of spirits. The DJ area is pure genius ... The bridge of the original starship enterprise with Gerard the Dalek protecting it from the side. In the left corner there is a tardis that lights up and the ceiling is full of models from sci if shows like battle star galactica and Star Trek. Near the toilets there is a number of arcade machines and there are arcade tables near the tardis where you can play classic games such as pacman and donkey kong for a small fee. To top it all off there is also a pinball machine present. The bar snacks range from sweets to nuts and crisps and they also provide a simple, classic, student type menu. Through out the week there are various theme night such as games nights but there are a number of board games available at any time and these games can easily be played. The decor is brilliant for fans of science fiction shows and there are a number of posters and signed pictures around the place and there is a glass cabinet of merchandise ranging from classic Star Wars and superman collectables. Next to this here is a table which is a scene from an alien landing and a comfortable booth. Located near china town I always have to visit this bar when I stay over in Manchester. Thereupon are also tv screens located all around that will play classic cartoons, movies and tv shows. read more

I used to go to the Fab Cafe in Leeds when it first opened and was crazy about the place. 80's film and TV memorabilia lined the walls and dangled from the ceiling, they stocked an array of 80's confectionery behind the bar (think Dib Dabs, Sherbert Fountains, Space Raiders and even Pot Noodles), tables with the BUILT-IN PACMAN arcade game, decent music and cheap drinks. What was NOT to love? Well, fast-forward 10 years and you suddenly realise that walking into a sticky-floored bar and being greeted by the smell of piss doesn't quite have the same allure anymore. Don't get me wrong, I still think the Fab chain is, well, fab, I just think that the next time I go to the one in Manchester, it'll have to be at the end of the night when I'm pie-eyed and youngsters, smells, dirty toilets and crap dancing don't bother me. Going back to the toilets though - have you read the graffiti on the doors/walls in there? Some of it is hilarious, poetic even! You could be in there for hours just reading. Anyway, I think Fab Manchester deserves a second chance as we went in there quite early on in the evening and I guess it doesn't really come to life until a bit later. I will say that I was a tad disappointed in the state of it though and reckon they could do with putting some money into giving it a revamp, or even just a good scrub. Crikey, I think I'm turning into a snob. read more

FAB Café - Lounges Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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My favourite dive :) love both rooms, the decor is random as all hell and that's the great part of the charm! The bar is reasonable enough on price for a city bar and there is plenty of space with a lot less pretence than some other so called "quirky" bars. Plus... PacMan... :) read more

FAB Café - My dad in front of the Star Trek bridge! - Lounges Near Me - Manchester, XGM

This bar is somewhere where I would usualy walk staright past but as we were with a friend who knows Manchester better than I do he suggested we tried it out as he has had a few good nights in here (drunken ones...). We went in about 10pm and the place was pretty quiet so it lacked a little atmosphere. There is loads of cool memrobelia from various films...star trek, dr who etc. They also have a good selection of retro video games. Time crisis brings back many memories. The drinks were just ok, not bad but not excellent. I will probably come back here if i'm nearby but wouldn't make the trip across town just for here as it really isn't my type of place. read more

FAB Café - Lounges Near Me - Manchester, XGM

If you like TV21 in the Northern Quarter, head to Fab on Portland Street. It's trash-themed and dotted with Space Invaders, Thunderbird Puppets and Daleks. What's not to like? It doesn't take itself remotely seriously and there are even sweets for sale behind the bar. Now that's MY kind of bar. It's an eccentric little place, popular with students, boho types and artsy cultured kinds, and the fact that it's Nerdvana in terms of its decor means it attracts an intelligent clientele also. Each day is themed too, Monday nights offer The Boneyard (ska, punk, psychobilly and alternative), Tuesday's got Ear Candy (40 years of rock n' roll), Wednesday gets groovy with The Score (bossa nova, kitsch lounge music, psychedelia, funk and soul), Thursday's heavy with Overblown (70s punk, alternative rock, metal, indie and so on), Friday's pretty open with Mojo Rising, Saturday gets all electro with the Robot Reject Club and Sunday's a film night, screening all sorts of cult, unreleased, banned and video nasty type movies. I'm a geek. There's a geek in everyone. And here's a place where everyone can release their inner dork and be at peace with it. Definitely one to try, and without a doubt bring Manchester visitors here too - it'll blow their minds. read more

FAB Café - Lounges Near Me - Manchester, XGM

F.A.B. Virgil! Well definitely A.O.K. anyway. An unpretentious and relaxed little place where the walls are adorned with sci-fi posters, comics, T.V. memorabilia and geek related things! The drinks are cheap and the clientele tend to go for the 'Kurt Cobain with a hangover' look and forgo complicated dance steps in favour of jumping up and down... even if it's just Nat King Cole playing.... read more

FAB Café - Lounges Near Me - Manchester, XGM

I did not get this place I am sad to say. It's just not my cup of tea I suppose. Decked out in sci-fi and B-movie paraphernalia its er ....unqique I'll give it that. This is not a place you want to get dressed up for. The place is full of friendly folk who are not keeping up with this seasons latest trends. If you want a quiet drink with an unsual backdrop this is the place for you. If your glammed up and ready to boogie give FAB cafe a miss ! read more

FAB Café - Lounges Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Fab Café is really kind of ridiculous but I keep going back there. On a night out, it's a great option for when you want to dance like an idiot and not worry about getting judged too harshly by your fellow dancers. Also you can get a pint of a lurid coloured cocktail for about £5. For a quiet drink while the night is still young, there's often a decent guest beer on, the staff are friendly and you can get a packet of Space Raiders if that's how you're feeling. For a bite to eat, the menu is comfort food through and through. Fish finger sandwiches? Super Noodles? A bowl of cereal? You can order all these things. Or just a portion of chips, which come served in something like a fruit bowl. This place certainly isn't classy and it's probably not very cool. But it's cheap and it's a lot of fun, so I like it. read more

Nerd-vana. Pure and simple, that's what this place is. Example: I was sat at the bar, not knowing anyone in the place, and within the hour, I was staring at a model of Fireball XL5 and judging the merits of Keanu Reeves movies. How wrong can you go with that kind of night? It's downstairs and well air-conditioned - a must in this weather - and the prices are pretty damn reasonable for city centre venues. There's a live DJ who takes requests, or on the night I was in, conducts the pub quiz as well. Don't get me wrong though. The decor is the key thing here, and the drawing factor. From Dr. Who, to sci-fi, to Playschool, the Fab Cafe covers all bases. If you're of a certain age or of the geekly minded, then this is the only game in town. Highly recommended. read more

I LOVE Fab. It is easily my favourite place in Manchester and go there whenever I can. I can't praise it highly enough. As a complete Dr Who geek, the fact that I can dance to really fab (pun intended) music - ranging from 50s to current - alongside a TARDIS and a Dalek is really quite pleasing to me. The atmosphere is brilliant, even on a Saturday night when it is so packed you can hardly breathe. I've often been one of the last people in there as I get so into dancing away and enjoying myself, I'm disappointed when its time to go home. The drinks are reasonably priced as is the entry fee. They are also currently showing Game of Thrones on a Monday night, which is great for those of us without Sky. Its also great to watch it with a bunch of people who enjoy it as much as each other. Everyone living in Manchester should make a point of coming here at least once in their lives. It is FAB! read more

Normally I wouldn't come to this bar but as I was with two friends who their knowledge of Manchester is slightly better than mine they suggested that we tried out the place as they had a few good nights here. We went about 12am and the atmosphere was quite vibrant. It has loads of memobrallia around the place such as Star Wars, Doctor Who just to name a few. The Drinks were not bad but not great. There is a probability that I will come back if I am close by but I wouldn't make a trip to visit this place as it is not really my vibe. read more

The only reason I haven't reviewed this sooner is that I assumed I already had! It's a sanctuary for movie geeks like myself and has that ripped seat and sticky floor cosiness to it. Take last Friday for example. Where else can you slowly intoxicate yourself on cheap lager whist watching Demolition Man with a complimentary fish finger butty before descending to the dance floor for Jackson 5. Nowhere. Nowhere. read more

FAB Café - Good times with good people. The bald man was not a prop. - Lounges Near Me - Manchester, XGM

This is a very cool bar in Manchester, and we enjoyed spending a couple of hours here one evening during our trip. As we arrived, there was a quiz happening, so it was a pity we were not there early enough to take part in it. However, the quiz made for a good atmosphere, and I still enjoyed listening in and answering questions to myself whenever I knew an answer (which wasn't actually that often- I guess I'm not as geeky as I thought). The place has a decent selection of beers at the bar, and there are some video games on offer for free. I enjoyed playing Street Fighter until I realised I was losing every fight, and then proceeded to get annoyed with "that stupid game". Highly recommended. read more

I have never been here before it was a very different experience. It had loads of memorabilia around the place starwars and doctor who are some of them. They had a couple of old video game which was fun. The drinks wasn't the best as the coke was a bit flat. The atmosphere was really chilled out and if I prob went a bit later it might have been better when it was busier. read more

Do you know what? I like it! It's weird, FAB is definitely a place that you have to be in the mood for. And you kind of have to know what to expect. It's like a geek's basement. That sounds harsh but remember I've just said I like it! The walls are covered in posters from random old cult TV programmes. The place is full of random sci-fi memorabilia like daleks and space raider arcade machines. The music ranges from rock to Manchester tunes to grunge to an occasional TV theme randomly thrown in to mix things up a bit. The key word to describe FAB is random. But it's actually a really fun night out! Full of an older crowd but everyone is friendly in there, no one looks out of place...unless you're dressed up actually! FAB is definitely a dressing down sort of place! read more

Sci-fi-tastic! The only bar I've ever been to that has a Darlek! Fab Cafe has an interesting crowd - ranging from the students to middle-aged folk that somehow you would'nt expect to fidn at such a place, and yet you do. They have TVs dotted all over the place, normally playing something totally random - anything from He-man cartoons to Bladerunner. read more

The Fab Cafe is located on Portland Street, just outside Manchester City Centre. It is a kitschy, retro bar and night club which has different themed club nights on different days of the week and a film night on Sundays. The decor in the club is very retro with futuristic seating and lots of vintage TV and film memorabillia on the walls. They also have some retro arcade games just outside the loos. The crowd in Fab Cafe is varied with many different types and age ranges. This creates a good vibe becase you don't need to conform to any particular style to feel like you belong. read more

Ever sat in a bar and thought to yourself "well, I suppose it's OK, but it would be sooooo much better if there was a dalek in here"? Well, if you have (and who hasn't, really, I mean daleks are, like, the secret ingredient to Good Times, right?) then you're in luck. FAB is a perfectly OK bar...with a dalek!!! Of course, there's not just a dalek, that would be weird, like the Cat in the Hat sitting in a branch of Spoons, or Darth Vader shopping for shoes at Clark's. No, as well as the dalek there's a whole bunch of sci-fi and retro memorabilia. The boyf can't stand it in here because there's too much to look at. No, I am not dating a 7 year old idiot, but thanks for asking, I occasionally wonder, myself. Anyway, there's a load of awesome gubins around. Having spoiled the dalek surprise, I'll leave the rest for you to discover. Aside from sci-fi bits and bobs, there's very little to set FAB apart from the rest of the crowd. The staff are nice enough, though occasionally service can take a little too long. I've heard rumours that food is served here, but have never seen any evidence of this, and given the general grubbiness of the place I am slightly reluctant to order any myself. In terms of drinks; the usual, though I don't think they serve wine. But really, this isn't a wine drinking place. All in all, a fun place to start a night out, or pop in on your way past, but apart from the dalek, a bit blah, really. read more

According to Fab Café's ethos, "We live in a period in history where, more than ever before, individualism is seriously in danger of being stamped out." A friend of mine decided to meet up with someone from a lonely hearts ad. He suggested the venue for the date, and it was Fab Café. First of all he asked her what she thought of their first kiss. Confused, she asked him what he meant. It turned out he was referring to a text message 'x'. He was weird in a lot of other ways. She left. I just checked the forum for Fab Café Manchester. One of the two guys who have posted on there d about X Box warranties and has the tagline, 'may the Force be with you'. I once went on a night out to this bar / club with my Yorkshire friend, who had promised us a great night out based on her Fab Café Leeds experiences. She was left apologising to us after an atmosphereless night in a dingy room with dreadful music where my boyfriend was manhandled by not one, but two, men! This had not happened before, and has not happened since. We found it pretty funny at the time, but looking back this was strange as Fab is not actually a gay bar. However, it is gay-friendly and possibly attracts a gayer crowd than most bars due to its proximity to Canal Street. I'm all for individuality, but Fab is certainly on the weird side of individual. read more

I only went here to see the Dalek. I nearly bought one on Ebay a year or so ago, but I was beaten which was probably a good thing as I would have had to sell my motorbike and hadn't checked whether it would go through my front door. What I wanted it for was to go to Tesco, drive up and down the aisles with a basket over my plunger, asking in my Dalek voice Please - will - you - pass - me - the - Whiskas? and getting someone to film peoples reaction from a distance :-) Heh heh heh. read more

There's something wonderfully reassuring about Fab Cafe's presence on Portland Street. Seeing as I've been coming here since the tender age of fourteen, it always gladdens my heart to see that it's not been replaced by some fancy pants new bar. Or that - in the fifteen (?) years it's been open - it's not changed much. At all. It's a gaudy, lurid, cheap and cheerful place, filled with kitschy tat and sci fi paraphenalia. There's always some kids TV show from the 1980s or B-Movie playing on the TVs situated in each corner of the bar (when I was in there the other day, they were playing that well known film classic, 'Flesh Gordon') and they have a propensity to serve up huge multi coloured (and seriously alcoholic) cocktails for the change you'll find festering away at the bottom of your purse. Oh - and if that wasn't enough, they also serve Summer Fruits Kopperberg too, a cider which tastes just like an alcoholic version of Robinson's Mixed Fruit Summer Barley water. Being the kind of place that loves a bit of cult TV, you'll often find talks being given here by the great and the good of Sci Fi and old British television from the 1980s. The actor who played Mr. Bronson in Grange Hill used to regularly come in there to give talks prior to his death. And whilst you're enjoying their tales about their glamorous lives, you can tuck into a bowl of smash, or potato waffles served with beans and HP sauce. For me, Fab Cafe will always be full of brilliant memories of my misspent youth, and the many happy nights I spent here with friends dancing away to silly music in even sillier outfits. It's a real Manchester institution - and I hope it always stays that way. read more

Wow! it's been far too long since I've attempted at making a review, so fingers crossed I can make comprehensible sentences. Me and a handful of my friends ended up here after being advised to check it out by the bouncer over at Satan's Hollow (Due to it being filled up). We decided to give the place a shot, and I won't lie....It's pretty damn alright. It was £2 entry, but I'm not entirely sure if that's just for Saturdays. The place is pretty large, but VERY WARM! I'm not entirely sure if air-con was installed or not, but HOLY BALLS WAS IT HOT! But excluding the heat problem, the place was amazingly decorated. Outstandingly awesome movie memorabilia, historical film/TV posters, and even some kick ass arcade machines. The drinks were averagely priced, and the bar staff were exceptionally friendly and talkative, a quality that's very rare with bar staff these days. With the addition of the 80s-90s music, it made for a pretty enjoyable club to stop by at. I wouldn't put it in my top 10, but it's an enjoyable place to check out none the less. Overall, excluding the heat and everyone being roughly 30-40 (Don't crucify me, I'm not complaining) the bar was pretty enjoyable, great to look at, and I had a great time there :) read more

Possibly an acquired taste but a trip to Manchester without visiting the Fab café would be a sad trip indeed. It's like stepping into the twilight one, quirky, kooky and sci-fi heaven complete with old school pin ball machines and it's own dalek, who could ask for more? Add to that comfy interior and wall's covered in tv's playing classic scooby-do and the like and the job's a good 'un. Good booze, reasonable prices and food like you had when you was a kid. A retro kick to the mind. Ten minutes in here and you completely lose track of where you were going before hand and it's always a surprise when you leave and re-emerge in the real world again. read more

There is a full size Dalek in this bar. I don't think I need to say any more. A FULL SIZE FRICKEN DALEK. ** This is *the place to take your geek friends. Board games, slammin' DJ, great drink prices, and did I mention the Dalek? Go, your basement dwelling buddies will thank me. read more

What is there to say about Fab Cafe? Well, for a cheap night out - and a late one at that - it's pretty tough to beat. Of course, with that comes a few drawbacks. Notably, the beer is not great but that's not an issue as such because really, a night in Fab is all about dancing to everything from Madonna to The Smiths. Take that as you will. The decor is the most striking feature of the place, set just below ground level on Portland Street. It's filled with sci-fi models and cocktail arcade machines from the '80s. It also shows cult b-movies and space flicks from the past and basically, everyone just goes there to get drunk and dance. It's a no-frills night out that is great for groups of friends with disparate tastes in music. It's a little bit grotty but don't let that stop you. It's mindlessly fun. read more

Devoted to cult film and TV, Fab is a place where Tom Baker, Richard O'Brien and Gerry Anderson are King! This underground bar has a cool 60s style interior, crammed with ace memorabilia, retro games machines and TV screens, which flicker day and night with cult horror, fantasy and Sci-Fi, from zombie films to David Bowie's Labyrinth. The bar itself is pretty cool too. While the drinks it offers are standard, the retro kids sweets you can choose to accompany them with are not. Refresher bar, anyone? Fab doesn't just appeal to my nerdy side, though. I also like going there because it has a late license that goes on until way past all the pubs are closed. So it's perfect if you're meeting a friend and know you'll end up chatting until the wee small hours. It's a good place to go for a dance too. Most nights have a DJ playing classic Indie, punk and new wave. My favourite is Dawn Acton Coronation Street's original Tracey Barlow! However, it is worth saying that years of being one of Manchester's most beloved cult bars have taken their toll on Fab. In recent years, the place has started looking a little rough around the edges, particularly the toilets! Still, when I was in there at the weekend, it looked like they were starting some refurbishment. So it could be back to its former glory already! read more

Fab is my favourite club in Manchester. Some would say it's a bit grubby but that just adds to it's quirkiness. Look out for the Thunderbirds. It's not a dancy type place, it's very much for the Indie lovers out there. It's not full of students although they do seem to be gaining in numbers now but don't let that put you off. It's great for the 30 somethings who still love the Madchester scene of the early 90s. Drinks are cheap and so is the food if you prefer cheese on toast to smoked salmon you'll love it! Not too far from the city centre and easy to get to! read more

This has to be the strangest bar in Manchester, but in a good way. Decked out in sci-fi and B-movie paraphernalia, its definitely unique looking. The vibe is very friendly, never had a bad night or experience in here. The crowd is very mixed, although it does attract some quite eccentric types. The music is.well it could be anything on really! The staff are very friendly and the prices aren't too dear. Well worth a visit read more

Brilliant city centre bar if you like your establishments a little more 'alternative'. Fab Cafe is like taking a trip back to your youth. There aren't many places* where you can have a beer, sit next to a Dalek whilst watching Thundercats or Joe 90. Later on, why not have a go on the old 80's vector graphics Star Wars game? The original and still the best, Fab Cafe sell drinks at reasonable prices and is a great place to either start off an evening or spend the whole night there! *There is one other place, but that's contrived copy TV21 in the Northern Quarter which is far too try hard for my liking! read more

Absolutly gorgeous place. Everyone there looks like they have just come out of starwars world. The place is small and cute with a big disco ball in the middle, people are standing in groups and some are looking at the james bond movies on the tele's the bouncers are friendly and the drinks are cheap try it. read more

Fab cafe is filled with with memorabilia, games machines and people watching shows on the tv, tnmt and thunderbirds anyone? Highlights include sitting next to a life size dalek on quiz night, eating refreshers and drinking beer and dancing wildly to 80s music. Can't go wrong. Friendly bar staff and crowd, it's quieter in the week but gets busy at weekends. read more

Like a bit of sci-fi mixed into your indie fare with the odd Corrie cast member thrown in, then this is your place. Its a favourite with the students and the price definitely reflects this. Any night of the week, its guaranteed to be busy (sign of a good venue i guess) but be prepared for the occasional strange person that might decide to come and say hi. Its really laid back, and you'll often find people dancing alone in front of the dj just because they feel like it :-) The decor is fascinating, although not to everyone's taste- sci-fi all the way complete with paper mache (I think) aliens/strange creatures and all manner of things hanging and perching in corners. read more

I am a long term fan of FAB café, I used to come here as a student, and can see how it is still in safe hands now. This visit was to reminisce about old times so we popped in before it gets busy on a Saturday for a quiet drink and a look round. I am pleased to say there are retro games still available, the bar staff are lovely and I can see why it is still popular probably more so the space is better defined for dancing and sitting. I will attempt to turn up for the quiz again soon. Worth a visit if you have never been, or just to remember the past. read more

I heart the Fab Café, mainly because it's not stuck up it's own bottom. We all like nice and elegant every so often, but Fab Café is not afraid to be dorky. You do kinda feel like you're stepping into a comic book lover's dream bar, but I think that's endearing more than anything else. Depending where you pick a point to sit, you can lean over the back and just look at all the collectables and trinkets of Science Fiction gone and past. If you sit down and look up you're more than likely to see a couple of television screens, of which films are playing whilst people are dancing. There's a neon, UV craziness that you get from Fab Café and the people that stay longer than ten minutes are really chilled and unpretentious. If you're in it for the booze, there are plenty of combinations depending on your chosen night that will make your drinking cheaper than most outlets in the city. AND...when you head to the bar you can actually buy all the confectionary of the 80s you thought had been discontinued. Plus there's the opportunity for the surreal picture of sherbet dippers, wham bars, various swizzle products in front of your drunken mates, a dalek, and a variety of bottle beers. I agree with it can be high on the dinge factor, it's the issue that lets Fab Café down, especially the toilet area, but if you can get over that then it's a cool night out, or a dorky night out, it's a good night out. read more

The Fab Café is definitely one of my favourite places for a night out in Manchester. Yes it's a little bit grungy and full of Dr Who memorabilia ( which for some is no bad thing). but the atmosphere is second to none. They play a great mix of 80s, 90s and naughties indie all designed to get your feet moving. I also love the fact they always play a fantastic tune you haven't heard in years and that there is a good mix of ages so I don't feel like the oldest swinger in town. Fab Café is certainly one of the best and most unpretentious places in town so can't wait for my next night out there. read more

If you fancy taking a trip back in time, head to FAB Cafe and lap up the 80's. I'm not talking about the birth-of-rave disco years, endless riots or new romance...if you want that then you may need an actual time machine, but if you feel like eating Findus Crispy Pancakes whilst watching old episodes of Neighbours on VHS, FAB Cafe is for you. Located on Portland street, FAB Cafe is tucked away between the rows of all you can eat restaurants and is a little diamond if you're looking for somewhere weird to have a beer. The basement bar is pretty dingy and damp, but it doesn't matter because you're not here for the atmosphere, you're here because you want to sit in the warm cocoon of the past playing old video games and drinking Baby Cham. The bar itself is worth a look. Relics from this period in history have been collected and lovingly kept and displayed. The centrepiece seems to be a full size Dalek which sits just off the dancefloor, but sadly waves it's plunger around no more. There are various regular nights with live bands and DJs which are worth checking out, or if you're just heading out and want to jump back in time, squelch your way down the sticky stairs in FAB and breathe in the polyester. read more

This place is eccentric and fun with tons of interesting memorabilia to have a look at. It's also one of the only places around that has a Pirates of the Caribbean pinball machine and a couple of other arcade games. Kind of dark but it augments the whole superhero milieu. Very nice & friendly staff, definitely a fun place to pop in for a visit if you're a fanboy/girl or if you fancy old school arcade games. read more

I never had anything but an amazing night here. A lot of my friends seemed to dislike it for some reason (sci-fi theme?!) but there was always a great fun crowd, loads of drinking and dancing, and Dr Who on the TV. Best night ever? When Joy Division came on. Love will tear us apart. read more

Still retains a certain kitsch but now looks tired and dingy compared to the far superior TV21, which has taken the same idea and done it a lot better (and it's not owned by FAB despite what some people think). Music's still fairly good on some nights but this place is well past its best. read more

Great sci-fi fantasy themed bar on Portland street- great quiz on wednesday nights, attracts students and geeks but also men in suits due to location, reasonably priced drinks, student food like smash and pot noodles available at the bar read more