TL;DR - A continental masterpiece, right here in Bury…read more How did I leave it so long before coming here? Arcade Club is an absolute gem - a massive warehouse filled with all kinds of arcade machines and an absolute paradise for anyone who loves gaming. Apparently it's the largest venue of its type in Europe! We came and bought a day ticket which gets you a wrist band for all day access. Once inside, every single game is free to play, and there's enough here to keep you occupied and entertained for a very long time indeed. The ground floor has a mixture of vintage machines, modern games, funfair games and even some VR rigs. You can then head to the first floor where there's a mixture of newer games and funfair games. Up to the second floor and you'll find a huge variety of machines with lots from Japan - dance and rhythm games, pinball machines and lots of 90s classic arcade games. Finally there's the fourth floor, packed with vintage machines like Pac Man, Asteroids, Smash TV and... well, pretty much anything you care to mention. There's a bar on site which also serves pizza in case you get peckish... and you probably will because there's so much to see and play here, you'll be here a very long time. Arcade Club is an absolute gem.

From the owner: We are the largest classic arcade in Europe. Hosting over 250 plus arcade machines and other games…read moresuch as consoles and computer games. We provide the whole gaming experience from retro to Modern. This includes VR and modern rhythms games. We have 2 bars and to eateries a sweet shop and gift shop. All your entertainment under one roof.

Come here for the exceptional retro arcade games selection, not if you're a cocktail connoisseur…read morebecause they are mediocre at best (but still enjoyable regardless & reasonably priced (especially at happy hour) the games aren't free, but not too expensive, easily can have a few hours fun in here. Misplaced my phone and it made its way to the bar (maybe it enjoyed the cocktails more than I did) but alas it came back to me and all was sorted, had a fabulous time & would recommend to anyone who prefers fun over a refined drinking experience

Came to visit from the United States and was told I couldn't enter because I was wearing a "track…read moresuit". I'm a woman and I was wearing a romper pant suit (see photo below) with a stripe down the side. This is an arcade bar? What am I supposed to wear? A cocktail dress? No surprise at London's racist culture against hip hop culture and black people. Racism is still alive in 2022 and it shows its ugly heads in many ways. I will not be returning to this racist establishment.

Hello new favourite bar - so happy to get here and waste/use wisely a spare 30 minutes I had before…read moremeeting my pals. Basically it's a bar underneath Dogs N Dough (you have to go through the restaurant) with loads of old (set to free play) arcade machines that really do hit the spot. You forget how great these old machines were in terms of playability... and how bad I am still at Donkey Kong... They have 1942, Track and Field, Space Invaders, Double Dragon and Pacman as well as a couple of pool tables (I believe these need to be hired) meaning it's a great place to hang out with friends for an hour or two and set the record straight on who's the ultimate champion of button bashing... Ok so the beer selection isn't going to set the pulse racing (OK but the fairly average selection you get in a lot of bars like Kona Longboard) but this isn't an issue as the good times will keep rocking and it's not like you're just drinking fizzy lager. Overall a great new place, just make sure it's open before going down - I know it's open Thurs and Friday from 5pm, longer on a Saturday.

Being a huge fan of Dogs n Dough I thought it was time to try out their new venture, a downstairs,…read more80's and retro themed dive bar. Upon arrival, around 7pm on a Friday night at DnD I asked where we can find 17 below. A member of staff mentioned that it's through a yellow door towards the back of the restaurant and down a flight of stairs. However, it was full so we'd have to wait around 20 minutes before being allowed downstairs. No bother, so me and my 8 work pals grabbed a drink in Dogs n Dough. The time came to be escorted down the stairs into what I can only be described as an empty 17 below. Confused, I asked the barman why we had to wait 20 minutes when the place was dead. He answered 'we want to control the flow of people, only letting around 40 people down here at once' - fair enough, I thought. But there was only in fact 15 people down there at this time. Pros: the lack of folk meant you got a drink quickly at the bar Cons: little to no atmosphere at all. The music was louder and there was a livelier atmosphere upstairs! There are some retro arcade games including the very popular Pac Man, that are all free to play. Fab. The two pool tables at the back look great but it would have meant a 45 minute wait for me and my mates, so we decided not to bother. I know this place is new, and maybe still finding their feet, but I found it just 'OK'.

Great American food. Just not great service the employees act like your bothering them and one lady…read morespecific with red hair and a nose ring is rude as hell.

Great American food. I'm from America and the chicken sandwich and the wings were superb. Drinks…read morewere great but prefer the regular fries over the animal fries

Ahh, bored travellers. Let's get all their money by popping a little gambling arcade in Manchester…read morePiccadilly station, it will definitely work. I feel sorry for those people with a little predisposition to gambling. They are tempted everywhere they go. The high street, motorway service stations, airport lounges, and now railway stations. This place is clean, well presented and not at all as dodgy as some of these places tend to be. However, it will almost certainly nab all of your change and maybe a lot more unless you are incredibly talented/lucky.

B.EAT STREET's latest venture in the Great Northern Warehouse is a variation on a pretty great…read moretheme. Many of the usual suspects were in attendance and that's slightly negative in terms of it being a bit repetitive, especially when those stalls are also restaurants, but actually the food I had was better overall than any of my previous visits: stunning buttermilk chicken burger from Coq o the North which three of us lost our shit over (we claimed it was better than Mumma Schnitzel which was controversial...) and I also was delighted with my chili brisket and sweet potato mess from Red's. No dessert stand which several members of my group found very disappointing. Normally they always have one so I would guess something fell through at the last minute. As with Friday Food Fight, there doesn't seem to be quite enough bar space/staff so you will have to queue but there are some fun cocktails (the Lynchburg Lemonade was particularly lethal) and there is a smaller bar round the corner doing stuff like cider which I'm pretty sure would have no wait at all. Also as with Friday Food Fight, the music was super fun - Shaggy, Skee-Lo etc. Although Upper Campfield Market is a very special place which I am really glad is in use, the Great Northern Warehouse is less draughty, has far better toilets, and in general a very cool and attractive space. I'm sure I'll be back and will be recommending to others.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have endorsed B.EAT STREET and their pop up, foodie adventures…read morearound Manchester all year. This occassion, named Food Fight MCR (rather than the original name of Friday Food Fight) is situalted in Great Northern Warehouse next to the ticket office to the AMC Cinema. The concept is the same as previous events, with street food vendors from in and around Manchester coming together to whip up some of the most imaginative eats around. Some of my favourite vendors have attended most weeks - Viet Shack, Mumma Schnitzel and Piggy Smalls to name a few. You'll have to take a look at the photo's I have posted for me to explain just how good the food is here...! If you want very, VERY casual dining on a Friday or Saturday night and want to be surrounded by other people who also share their love for food, then look no further. There's plenty of seating, plenty of food and the drinks are always flowing. Just a great time to be had by all. I have managed to make my way around most of the food stalls in here - but I will always be a big fan of Food Fight.

FAB has to be my favourite bar in Manchester. It may seem a little grungy on first inspection the…read morebar 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.

I used to go to the Fab Cafe in Leeds when it first opened and was crazy about the place. 80's film…read moreand 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.