If you're looking for an independent and quirky bar in didsbury that serves a huge range of ales, cocktails and a good selection of food and that always has a friendly atmosphere then look no further. The tables and chairs in M&A are a mismatch of odds and bods but this combined with the weird and wonderful wall art and trendy bar give the place so much character. After a few cheeky drinks down Burton Road my friend and I decided that our bellies needed food so we jumped in here in hope of finding a table. We were luckily enough (especially considering it was a Friday night) to find a table in the small back room. Until this night I'd only ever popped in here for drinks so I was happy to see a varied menu. I think they were possibly a little under staffed as getting served at the bar took an age but I can't deny that the food and drink were both perfect. I opted for a mushroom and pesto stone baked pizza, which had a crisp base and a perfectly crunchy crust. The sauce was very flavoursome and the toppings plentiful. I enjoyed every mouthful. To drink I had not one, but two Mai Thai cocktails (afterall it was Friday), which were both mixed to perfection, with a handful of ice, the sweetness of pineapple juice and the warmth of plenty of rum. I would recommend this little bar to anyone and everyone who is visiting the area. read more

Mary & Archie - Mai Thai - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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Ever since Emily B and Rich C filled my activity feed with mouth watering pictures and glowing reviews of this place it's been on my hit list - lucky for me then that it's pretty much next door to Reserve Wines and we had an event there - result. I initially popped in in search of coffee and wifi to finish off some last bits and bobs for the day before heading over for the #worldofwine event but looking at the menu and being here on a Monday I decided I could make room for an early dinner! On Mondays they do burger and a beer for £10 - that's gets you your choice of burger, fries, slaw and a choice of beer from the Camden Brewery selection. I had the chicken and bacon burger with a pale ale, both lovely! The coffee I had before my food was average but then again they aren't claiming to be the next Starbucks. The chap working at the time I was in was extremely helpful and friendly as well! Most likely will be back on my next didders trip! read more

Mary & Archie - Great selection of beers - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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This place is very 'paint by numbers hipster'. For me, this isn't a bad thing, but it definitely has all the hallmarks of a hipster establishment: 1. It's tiny 2. Nice beers 3. Burgers and pizzas 4. Fun/cool graffiti and paintings on the walls 5. Food came on a board 6. Trendy staff in beanies who are very friendly but not at the top of their game 7. A freelancer in the corner drinking coffee and doing work Like I said, the staff weren't quite with it in some aspects, eg dirty plates sat on the table next to ours for almost our entire visit. The guy on the bar was really friendly though, let me sample some beers etc. I opted for a New Yorker sandwich with fries, and a pint of Runaway/Renaissance NZ oatmeal pale. Both were great. As mentioned before, I'd have preferred a plate rather than a board, but it's not a huge deal. The sandwich was generous and delicious. I was very tempted by the cakes on the bar but managed to resist. Overall I really liked it here and would recommend for a tasty lunch in the area. read more

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I'm actually quite surprised that I've never reviewed M&A - and while it's probably creeping up on me as one of my favourite bars in Manchester, it's definitely not somewhere I spend enough time. I've been drinking here a couple of times and they've really got it down in terms of their craft beer selection - you're basically talking about loads of bottles in their fridges - plus from what I remember at least 6 taps from local breweries such as Shin Digger and TicketyBrew, with the others reserved for kick ass national craft like Brewdog and Camden - nice work guys! Prices are as you'd expect but I don't mind paying for it when the sweet amber is this damn good! The setting is as chilled out as possible, it's actually like being in someones house and there's room outside to sit for around 15 people making it the perfect place to enjoy a few drinks on a sunny day! I was also really impressed with the menu (very eclectic) last time I popped in and after almost, almost, almost going for a burger decided on doing a total curveball and went for their caribbean fish stew - this was so good, very tasty and at £7 was a great bargain for what was a very fresh, obviously homemade dish. A great place - can't wait till my next visit! Wifi password is: pintplease read more

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A business would have to be pretty special for me to say flat out that it's the best thing on Burton Road. In my opinion, Mary and Archie absolutely is. Comfortable, cool, and specialising in great beer, I'm chuffed to be able to call this little bar my local. They have three cask beers on most of the time, usually from excellent, established yet authentically cool breweries such as Dark Star, Magic Rock, and a frequently rotating selection of up-and-comers - First Chop Brewing Arm, Five Points, Brightside - the list goes on and on. They also have a good selection of bottles, both British, American, and continental, and a few decent keg beers such as Brooklyn Lager and Punk IPA. Last year they held an American Craft Beer Evening tutored tasting led by Ben Hodgkinson of James Clay, which was a fantastic event (you can read my blog post about it here http://goo.gl/pXYwsY), and I hear that they're planning some more tasting evenings in the future. What I've tried of the food is tasty and reasonably priced - a special mention goes to their Tuesday night £7 pizza and bottled beer deal (beerwise, you get to choose between Estrella or, um, something else, but there are a wide range of delicious pizzas to choose from). My partner has had a cooked breakfast there and really enjoyed it. I hear that their Sunday Lunch is excellent too - I must check it out soon. As for decor, and vibe, it's just charming, and the people who work there are lovely. If you want to bag a big table, or the coveted window seat, I'd recommend you get there early, because once people start getting home from work, it gets busy! Not unpleasantly so, but its popularity amongst the people of Burton Road is obvious. Currently my favourite place to drink outside of the city centre. Writing this review has made me thirsty... I might have to go and see what they've got on tap. read more

Mary & Archie - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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Having random Monday's off is great! It means you can visit places like Mary and Archie, check in, put photos up and make the rest of your friends hate you a little bit. This is exactly what we did last a few days ago. It was around 1pm on a Monday so understandably it was quiet. The only staff member in the bar area was nice and very helpful. I went for the Monday beer and a burger for £10 deal, which got me a cheese burger, fries and a Camden Pale. Not a bad deal at all! The burger itself was nice, nothing amazing but I'm not complaining given the price. My partner had a New York sandwich. I tried a little and I'll say it was nice but not really my thing. Emily seemed to enjoy it though. I will likely go again someday but given the choice on Burton road and how few of them I've been to, it may be a while before I do so. read more

Mary & Archie - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

I was disappointed when the quirky Silver Apples closed (the former business that occupied this building). My disappointment was short lived after Mary & Archie opened. The bar is jam packed with the who's who of the beer World. From the likes of renegade 'punk' craft breweries such as Scotland's BrewDog, traditional Belgium trappist beers from the likes of Rochefort, right up to American imports from Brooklyn Brewery Sierra Nevada and Flying Dog to name a few. They also have a lot of bottles and the three 'real ale' hand pumps that serve an ever changing selection from the best local and UK microbreweries. The food is excellent . Speaking to the chef a couple of times I've seen him in the bar he is really passionate about the food and it shows, I've been here multiple times and the food has always been top notch My only complaint would be that the keg beer line-up does not change. The real hand pumps regularly change with new beers showcased weekly. I would like to see one or two keg lines dedicated to guest craft keg from UK microbreweries that changes regularly to showcase the great keg craft beer coming from the UK microbrewers. read more

Mary & Archie - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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Adventures out of the city can only really mean one thing, and that's adventures around new food and drink. Looking for something more substantial than cheese and crackers before drinking a few glasses of wine, a few of us met at Mary & Archie. Running a bit later than planned on the tram, Emily B. was kind enough to order mine and Andy Y.'s food for us so it would be on the table (or thereabouts) when we did arrive. The menu is a little bit of everything, with American style sandwiches next to Mediterranean mezze and Mexican quesadilla, but it manages to avoid feeling like 'too much'; the decor and laid back attitude of the staff help with this. The latter were friendly enough but were obviously getting impatient with us at the end with paying, feeling like they'd rather get back to speaking with each other than serving us. Andy and I decided to share some plates - the beef nachos and chicken goujons. Really, the beef nachos would have been enough! Piled high with rich chilli beef, jalapenos, some guacamole and cheese, these were very tasty and very filling. At £7.50 these would safely be a lunch option for one. The goujons were good, especially when paired with the sweet chilli, but nothing stood out about them. They had Magic Rock Salty Kiss in the fridge and, after deciding it's my current favourite, I couldn't say no to a can. It seemed like they had plenty of other options on both draught and in the fridge, plus cocktails, wine and cider. A great re-introduction to the delights of Didsbury, and it's definitely helped reignite my interest in exploring further afield. read more

Mary & Archie - nachos & chicken goujons (2016) - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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I've been to M&A's a few times in the past, but only for food, and was only on the last visit that I realised how good the drinks menu is. There is a really rather large selection of decent beer in those fridges, with a good selection of drinks on tap. That, plus 3 hand pulls meant that there was guaranteed something that I was going to want. The food is all home made, with me opting for my staple diet of soup and a sandwich. read more

Mary & Archie - The outside of M&A's - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Foods good, lots of ales/beers to choose from, whats not to like. Why've you not given it 5 stars Kev ? Ok, if Im being reallly fussy in not giving it 5 stars its probably two fold. Firstly, the wooden seats are not the comfiest in the world, a very small gripe, but when youre tall and trying to eat or sit for a long time they could be that little comfier. Secondly, I just wish it opened a little later at the weekend. Now that's out of the way, the positives. The bar has a great range of beers & ales. If you're into your drinks, the bar staff are knowledgeable and the fridge is stocked with a great range to suit all tastes, from American IPA's to Belgian Trappist drinks. I dont think theres a better range in West Didsbury for those CAMRA members, but this is far from a beard strokers paradise and theres a good mix of people who visit. I should add that I've had really really good coffee & cake in here too. I guess that leads on to the next bit.... The food. Its good. Its very good. The range on the menu is just about right, there will be something you like. I've had chili here, I've had jerk chicken, I've had a Sunday Roast & I've had burgers. All were tasty, and theres never too long a wait. The price point is just about right too. If youre after a great place for a midweek drink, or to hang out on a Sunday afternoon, then you cant go wrong. Sometimes during the working day it can attract those annoying fools who believe ordering one coffee entitles them to a table for the next 3 hours just to use the wi-fi (seriously, who doesnt have the Internet at home now) but thankfully they usually disappear in time for post work drinks read more

Mary & Archie - Sunday Roast at Mary & Archie - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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For some reason, Mary & Archie feels quite smalltown America to me... maybe it's all the exposed wood and soft music? Makes me feels like I'm in some hipster film; Garden State or 500 Days of Summer or something by Wes Anderson... Anyway, I digress... M&A feels homely, like a little cubby hole to wait out the dark months. The cask ale on selection is a rotating selection, but there are plenty of other draughts, including Brewdog's Punk IPA and 5AM Saint. The music is great. Heard everything in here from Blur to Lemonheads to Silverchair. So very much 90s child with plenty of surprises. The music is soft enough not to interrupt the conversation, and it's often difficult to identify songs due to the low volume. This is a great thing in my book, bar music is nice for atmosphere but shouldn't make people raise their voices. Never had the food, so can't comment on that. read more

Mary & Archie - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

M&A is one of my favourite eating and drinking spots - it's also one of the quirkiest, independent and laid back bars around with mismatched furniture and locally produced art on the walls. They opened back 2011, naming themselves after the owner's parents, apparently. It's not the largest of spaces, with a few small tables and bench seating. There's a small additional seating area at the rear past the bar. It has excellent atmosphere to socialise in, with decent tunes playing in the background at a lower level so you can converse without yelling. You can tell that they pride themselves on serving good, home cooked food, sourcing ingredients from other local businesses. They offer a full menu from when they open up until 9pm. They have a very good selection of bottled and canned craft beers, with three normally being on cask. Cocktails are also available and they've recently introduced a 2-for-1 deal on Thursday evenings. I've really enjoyed the food each time I've visited, though they lose a five star rating from me as my last meal was served on a wooden board which was far too small to move anything around - the sooner this gastro-fad passes, the better. A must-visit if you're out in West Didsbury. read more

Came here recently before a Yelp event at the nearby Reserve Wines. Thinking ahead, we decided it would be a good idea to get something to eat before all the wine - don't want the risk of making a fool of myself ;) Jessica H and I both decided to share some dishes. We had some lovely beef nachos and chicken goujons. As Jessica has mentioned, the beef nachos were probably enough - a nice big portion - nachos with cheese, guacamole, spicy chilli beef and jalapenos. I am a big fan of nachos anyway but these was really good. Mmmmm. The chicken goujons were good too. To "pair" with the food, I went for the Magic Rock Salty Kiss. I am usually quite "boring" with my choice of pair but decided to give this a try - and it was good! It is a fruity beer, but a relatively light fruit flavour. I tasted the fruit at the start (and end) but when drinking with the food, it tasted like a good "normal" (i.e. not fruit) lager. Its actually the 2nd time I've been to Mary & Archie - so the Yelp app told me - I think the 1st time was probably about a year ago and was just for a drink. I really like the place! read more

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Mary and Archies is a lovely little cafe bar in the suburb of west didsbury. Serving a range of good ales / craft beers, ciders and cocktails and with a nice looking menu, its a great choice any time of day and any day of the week. I particularly like it on a warm sunny day as the whole front opens up with fold back doors making the place feel airy even if you choose to sit inside. On this occasion i had a couple of belinis and ordered the small meze platter for £6.50. Filling for one person, or a nice 'tie you over' bite if two of you share. Really nice food, really nice location, Good all rounder. read more

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I recently did the pub quiz here which is on a Wednesday night, I must admit I'm neither of use or ornament in quizzes lol The vibe is quite cool in the bar, nice and relaxed. The bar was very busy, I was out for my sister's partners birthday. My mum and I met them there, they had a table in the back. I enjoyed the quiz and had a good night. The only gripe I suppose is the toilets are a bit yucky. I would return though, no doubt about that. Oh and at quiz half time you get free chips :) always a bonus read more

I have been to Mary & Archie a couple of times now. I've got to say I really do like this establishment. The selection of premium beers & ales they have is phenomenal, when you consider the size of the bar. I went in yesterday, ended up having some Lemon and Poppy seed cake (which was very nice - light & moist) to go along with a bottle of the Rochefort 10. A lovely dark trappist beer, though next time I'll try not to forget that it's 11.3%! The good variety of songs playing in the background only helped the already great atmosphere. With myself fed & water, I went on my way - despite the feeling that I could have spent all afternoon in that chair by the window. read more

I really love this place and not just because they sell PBR which reminds us of the USA. The staff are crazy friendly. We came for the quiz, which turned out to be really fun for only £1 per team member. The restaurant even brings round piping hot, delicious chips in the middle to gee you up. We came third which was pretty good going considering there were only two of us and even we got to choose a prize. Throughout the night some of the other patrons were ordering meals which all came out from the kitchen looking amazing. We'll definitely be back to try the food and for more trivia! read more

Really enjoyed the service here. Great prices cocktails - 2 for a tenner. I was recommended the apple pie cocktail and I 4!!! Great pub quiz and delicious meze board. read more

Mary & Archie - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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Mary & Archie's is amazing for 2 things... Craft Beer and Food! This is the only establishment in West Didsbury that specialises in Craft Beer which makes M&A a huge hit. As I am not a fan of beer, I will review the food. I must say, the food at M&A is amazing! They locally source all their ingredients and its real home comfort food. Their chicken burgers and steak and ale pie is simply scrummy. They have some great offers on during the week. Tuesday nights is pizza and beer night for £7 and they have a roast dinner offer on a Sunday. I have never had a disappointing meal at M&A and I eat here all the time. Mary and Archie's is a very quirky café bar located on Burton Road, West Didsbury. The establishment is like a sixties throw back. Staff are friendly and I am somewhat becoming part of the furniture here. read more

Went here for drinks and pub quiz on Wednesday night. The quiz was great fun although the competitions was very tough. Struggled to get a table at first as it was so busy but eventually found a nice table at the back. The drinks were gorgeous. I can highly recommend the apple pie vodka cocktails. read more

I love this place. Loved it when it was Silver Apples a couple of years back, love it even better now. And on a sunny bank holiday day like last Friday, I was in Didsbury Beer Heaven. It's a quirky little bar, with nice features, a great little vibe, great beers on tap and in the fridge, a large window that opens on the pavement on Burton Rd...absolutely perfect to relax with a book, chat with a friend/partner or just watch the world go by. Shame it's on the shadow side of the road in the afternoon but that means that the rowdier crowd goe the other side which means you have more chance to find a seat and be served quickly. Love it PS: I have not tried the food so cannot comment on this side of the business yet, but hoping this will be corrected soon :-) read more

Since moving to Didsbury I've wanted to try this place out and given that we'll be moving away soon, this fine sunny day seemed like the perfect opportunity. The have a huge open window to compensate for only having a few tables out in the front which provided a nice breeze, the place was quite empty when we first arrived but it soon got busy which gave it a better atmosphere! The staff were polite and quickly took our drinks order, they have a large selection of beer and a few cocktails priced fairly. For lunch we both had the Mary and Archie dog, personally not to my taste and the onions were a bit cold but my friend enjoyed so I imagine it's down to personal preference, but the chips were so good! I'd like to come back and try a few other things as they have quite a varied menu that is reasonably priced! read more

Quirky, independent bar in the middle of Burton Rd, West Didsbury. Great place with a strong beer selection & lovely bar staff. We sunk a few Aperol Spritz there last night which seems to be 'the drink to have' at the moment. Relaxed vibe in here, doesn't get too hammered (which I personally really appreciate). read more

Mary & Archie - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

I really like Mary & Archie's. Its a very cute, trendy, hippy looking cafe with a nice relaxed atmosphere. However, whenever I come here I only ever order a beer or a coffee with mixed White & Sweet Potato Wedges as they're the only things reasonably priced and affordable on the menu. I'm not saying its crazy overpriced and Yes it is West Didsbury so everything is going to be that bit more but I just refuse to pay £9 for a ciabatta! The beer, depending on whichever you get, is actually quite pricy too, so we only every stay for one. Its worth it though for the nice atmosphere and open seating in summer. The mixed wedges is only £3.50 so it makes a nice snack to accompany drinks for two. read more

Mary & Archie - Mixed white & sweet potato wedges - £3.50 - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

I had a nice chowder, as well as a good espresso. Good beers on tap, see photo. Pleasant place, worth another visit. read more

Mary & Archie - Beers on tap 29 December 2014. - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Mary and Archie is definitely one of my favourite bars along Burton Road, it is a quirky place with mismatched furniture and has a relaxed vibe. I also love all the unusual art work. They have a great selection of beers including a decent range of fruit beers and have now started serving prosecco by the glass. As this is West Didsbury the drinks do tend to be on the more expensive side and the place does get rammed at the weekend but it's definitely worth a visit. They also have a weekly quiz and a regular event called the Sunday Spoonful where live bands play. read more

Great for brekkie. Lovely atmosphere. Parking bit of nightmare but staff friendly and food cost is reasonable. Good portions and very tasty. Seating is limited but don't have to wait long. Had a lovely Sunday morning breakfast there. Would defo go back. read more