I love this pub, in fact I've been coming here for years and never tire of it's old world charm…read more Saying that - it's a place that I also never have on my go to list - it can be 6-7 months in between visits which is surprising given the amount of beer quaffed by me in the NQ each week... Saying that I think the beer is maybe the answer. With this being a Robbies pub, I'm just not massively keen on their range - and while not offensive, their style is definitely more old man bitter - even the new beers they say are as hoppy as hell always come back to tasting the same... But for a few beers it isn't a bad choice as the pub is great, the vibe in the back and upstairs welcoming and the jukebox upstairs is one of the best around - really good tunes and 5 picks for a £1.

I get really intimidated walking into pubs and bars alone sometimes. If I know the place then its…read morefine but I just don't do it that often. From being at uni, I was just so used to arriving with a few other people - not so anymore, Sophie. Time to grow up. I'd been to a couple of artsy meetings with a group of basically strangers who'd answered an ad on the internet about starting up a new 'organic', venue focused paper in Manchester. Of course such meetings had to be conducted in suitably independent artsy places. The second such was scheduled to take place at the Castle Hotel on Oldham Street. The Castle does not need a surly bouncer or a velvet rope. This is all implied by the ways heads swivel as you walk in. God, I wished I'd been with someone else. Specifically an old man, or failing that a friend of mine who used to live round here and looks like so much of an outcast that she pretty much fits right into any environment. I am happy, proud even, for the Castle that it has stood the test of time as the area around it has morphed into trend-central. This pub has stuck to its guns. But trust me, there are pubs with just as interesting interiors (mosaics and tiled bar) and history (licensed since 1776) that actually want you to be there. This one probably does not. They have nine real ales, being attached to a Robinsons brewery but again why not try The Crown and Kettle or The Marble Arch instead for something similar? Various musicians like members of Elbow (and man, they're everywhere) and I am Kloot are supposed to drink here but did you ever think that maybe this is just to get more peace and quiet than they would in somewhere remotely cool..

Having recently undergone a makeover, this branch of Marble was high on my revisit list for this…read moreyear. Luckily, after our first full week back at work, the other half suggested going for a pint and Marble was the destination of choice. The large glass pane door and windows mean you can see inside - and check how busy it is! - and lets lots of lovely natural light in. I doubt we'll ever be able to find a seat here once the Manchester summer comes around. The light wood used in the decor means it feels very clean and new, on the right side of a modern design and not detracting anything from Marble's brand identity. I adore the new bar, which evolves from bar to seating; it's much more open than the old bar and gives the space a different feeling. I had no idea you could fit this many people in! Gone is the central bench seating and bottle fridges, leaving room for more people to both stand and sit, and a small door at the back promises additional seating - though, as the sign says, just not yet. Our bartender was lovely and very patient with my lack of knowledge. Although he accidentally poured two pints of Antipodean instead of one, we ended up taking both. Fate, perhaps. Price wise, it seems fair, at around £3.50 for the pints we had, though obviously this will change depending on the beer. The food menu looked very appealing, with some bar snacks (including jalapeno pretzels, which sound delicious) and main plates which would be perfect for lunch. The main temptation however came in the form of the meat & cheese boards, something The Marble Arch is very well known for. I'm looking forward to a return visit to sample the food and have another pint (or two).

I finally, finally got to visit Marble's bar last weekend after bookmarking it ages ago. Thankfully…read moreI was with friends who knew where it was as I walked straight past as it's easy to miss. Anyway, personal navigational issues aside, on first impressions I liked the place very much. A couple of small raised tables near the front and then one long table down the bar's full length with seating for plenty (it's made from reclaimed timber, a big winner with me). The bar itself has a number of casks and keg lines which I'm presuming are on a rotation system so you can sample everything from their range (if you're a regular). The platters of meat and cheese that you can buy also looked super tasty. All of Marble's bottled beers are on display and as other reviews have said some of them are pretty darn expensive (e.g. you won't get much change back from a tenner for their 6.8% Earl Grey IPA - which happens to be my joint favourite with their 5.5% Chocolate Marble). If you have an hour or so to while away with friends, or strangers, they have Jenga, draughts and chess for customers to play, though alcohol and a steady hand do not a pairing make :) A little bobby-dazzler of a place which I'll definitely return to soon.

We stopped in for a great pint and better sandwich before a city game. Cannot rave about this cute…read moreplace enough. You need to get a hot honey chicken sandwich and beer. Service was easy, just walk up to the bar and give them your order and table number!

Hip beer bar with more IPAs than you can dream of. But the space is lovely. Drinks are well…read morecrafted. People are chill.

So I'm here tonight to see Jason get North Manc CAMRA pub of the year - you can probably tell I…read moreagree. It's aesthetically unique, cosy and inviting. The beer is kept in superb condition, rotated every day and it has some of the best bottles in town. It's just one of the best pubs in Manchester for beer and atmosphere!

Reopened about four years ago now, this Grade Two listed pub is really intriguing in many ways. The…read moreCrown and Kettle used to be a courthouse in the 19th century and rumours still circulate that it is haunted; its that kind of place you see. An absolute must for real ale lovers, there is no brewery attached. Instead, they have up to eight pumps (a minimum of four) of both real ales and more mainstream beers like Fosters. Both these and drinks that I myself actually drink are very reasonably priced for a pub just on the outskirts of the Northern Quarter. If you're not familiar with the area just walk all the way down Oldham Street then cross over the main road- its right in front of you. It is very quiet during the day but that is what some people want after all. No, where the Crown and Kettle really could do with improvement is the food. I think it really lets itself down as it just isn't good pub food- maybe if they perked up the menu more people would straggle in during the day. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure they don't want trade to be roaring at all hours - just a thought.

So I've been wanting to check out Gullivers for a while, especially since it was taken over by the…read moreguys from the Castle a few months back. While on a recent Yelper night out, we popped in for a couple to see what the recent refurbishments have done to it and what sort of vibe it has. The good news is that it's still kept a lot of it's original Manchester pub charm without selling out to become too NQ, the clientele is a mix of Manchester old boys, hipsters and people just wanting a good night out. The decor is...how do I put this... Well it's the sort of place that Robert De Niro (in Casino) would call a "sawdust joint" - pretty rustic, rough around the edges but still some good character throughout. The beers were fairly cheap if not having a spectacular range but I'm thinking this may change if the Castle guys get their way. What I hear is the real USP of this place is the live music room at the back which has been made into a kind of alternative, rock theatre and I'd love to check out a gig there in the future. If I'm out for a beer then I probably will still go to the Castle across the road instead, but I'd have no probs popping into Gullivers for one.

Gullivers has had a revamp and now could not be described as threadbare, although Ian M. mourned…read morethe loss of atmosphere and I'd agree the new look is a bit, well, new. One advantage is the beautiful windows down the right side of the pub get full exposure, with nice booths set up. This was my first time experiencing the upstairs music hall and while Jo Mango was fantastic, the room was unbearably hot. She herself mentioned several times how sweaty she was (she's adorable) and I don't think it can be very pleasant for the performers to have to work like that, particularly considering the kind of delicate instruments she uses. So basically: get some AC, or open a window.

Cooper Hall is a really cool bar! FULL STOP…read more It is fantastic for groups as it hosts long tables, and seating wrapping around the hall. I believe it has capacity for 300 people. Not to mention, the amazing selection of European beers, such as the Tank Pilsner Urquell, but I am prone to a German Weißbier, which they serve. Fantastic! Cooper Hall also stocks IPAs and seems to have a frequent 2-4-1 Happy Hour offer on cocktails. What's not to love?! The Hall is situated in one of the Grade II listed buildings just off Dale Street, and is in the basement of the old textile warehouse with the namesake, I.J & G. Cooper Ltd, built into the building itself. The beer hall is quite open and relaxed, adhering to the more and more popular dark wood decor, but mixed it with leather seats and bar stools. It pays a lot of respect to the heritage of the building. My visit was around 9pm or so on a Friday night, and it was busy, but not enough where it was difficult for a small group to find a place to sit, which presented a very pleasant evening with a few good pals, with a few really good beers. Cooper Hall also features live music, so even cooler! If you consider yourself a music lover, beer connoisseur, or lover of 2-4-1 cocktails, then this place is definitely worth a visit.

The unpasteurised Pilsner Urquell is probably why you're visiting. £4.80 a pint / £3 a half. Good…read morefor groups, large tables and generally spacious venue. Live music some nights.

Cool atmosphere. Nice drinks. Array of spirits with a decent range of old and new Gins.read more

Really fun place to hang out at. The burgers was amazing and the sticky toffee pudding didn't…read moredisappoint. Espresso martini on point!

Im not sure how I discovered the brand seven bro7hers ... I think it was one of those where I had…read moreheard of it being a Manchester brewery and then with it being stocked in my local booths and asda I was able to try it. From there I discovered the Ancoats bar and then after a failed attempt to go in in 2022 (World Cup meant the bar was full) we went for opening time in January 2023. It was .. AMAZING! The ambiance was great, with wood everywhere, brick work and was just a nice relaxing place to be. Having all the beers on tap too was great. From my first pint there I fell in love ... even more so because I loved the glass and asked if and where I could buy them for my stash at home, and they said we could just have it, so they gave us a clean new one which was super lovely. Since that first visit I've been up & in there every month and 2 of the last 3 times I got food. It's a basic menu, but my god they do it well. On a Friday, they sometimes have a beer tour stop by so depending on how many are on the tour, they might fit upstairs or go into the downstairs area for it. It gets pretty busy too, especially on a Friday around work clocking off time so around 4pm onwards you might struggle to sit or lean places but coming up to summer, there is usually outside seating. Service has always been great and I've never had a bad time there. It is by far my favourite bar in the city for ales. Oh and they do plenty of social events through the month too. I haven't been to one yet but it's on my list. (Doggy social, quiz, book club, etc)

Another venue that seemed to take a good while to finally come to fruition, the Seven Bro7hers…read moreBeerhouse opened last week on Cutting Room Square - the first bona fide drinks spot here (I discount Second City Bar with its off-putting screens and limited decent beers). The space is far larger than you'd expect, with two floors (ground and basement) of seating and a large, rough wooden bar. They've admitted that they still need to finish off a few parts here and there, though the overall look is rather industrial - it's exposed brick, timber and ceiling runners aplenty (whether this is a design decision or a means to save on costs is for the designer to know). They've kept some interesting features such as an old fireplace which is several feet above the basement floor, and a double-height section at the front will flood the downstairs with natural light. Behind the bar, as you'd expect, it's mainly their own draught beers, with the fridges stocked with bottles from other breweries. They've also got a gin shelf with bottles from Manchester Three Rivers, Zymurgorium, and Manchester Gin. It's a convenient spot to wait with a pint for your table at Rudy's Pizza opposite, and it has promise to make a name for itself. I'd revisit once they're properly bedded in but for now, the Smithfield is still the pub of choice nearby.

This venue was such an eclectic dive and I loved every minute of it ! ( other than the heat) We…read moretraveled from afar to see an acoustic set by Art Alexakis of Everclear. He did a stellar acoustic performance and covered a new solo song and many everclear top hits. At the end he took requests and answered questions from the crowd. Ok, back to reviewing the venue. I don't know how to describe the ambiance other than eclectic and hipster. See my photos for yourself. They poured heavy on the drinks and kept them coming all night . Only real complaint is that it's sweltering hot inside but I expect that at a music venue. I actually found a great seat at the bar and was able to people watch, see the performance, and at have my drinks refilled on the reg without having to move an inch . Staff was nice and made sure we were taken care of . It appeared as If they also have food available. Be careful walking down the winding staircase to the dungeon where they hide the bathroom . I swear I saw a dragon down there ! If you live in the area or just are coming into town for a short visit, it's a great venue to check out artists just trying to get their career started. I'm so glad I made the trip to see Art!

Night & Day looks and feels like the kind of bar Tom Waits would stumble into when he was writing…read moreseminal albums like Small Change. There's a flickering sign in the gold window, a long bar where you can order shots and bottles of beer and bartenders that treat you like a long lost friend (until your money runs dry!). As well as being one of the city's most alluring dive bars and we're talking grubby and run down rather than boho chic, Night & Day is also one of Manchester's best music venues with live bands playing five or six nights a week. Admittedly, the sound isn't as good as the Academy or The Deaf Institute but the great atmosphere, promising local bands and established underground bands make it a must visit. When I was music editor at City Life magazine many moons ago, there were so many great gigs at Night & Day - from Goldfrapp, Add N To (X) and The Gossip to Elbow - that I was tempted to move in!

The Hare and Hounds is an old school pub in the city centre, it's located on Shudehill, opposite…read morethe Bus Station. Most people would see this pub when heading into town from Rochdale Road direction, as the side of the pub is often rented out to make advertising morals for various companies, which are pretty cool. It isn't the trendiest of pubs in town, with the client base seeming to be much older than other bars nearby in the Northern Quarter, and it did seem to be a little dead/quiet compared to others nearby, but there still seems to be a charm about this place. Competitive pricing, decent/average service and selection of beers. A good amount of seating too, some of it is reasonably comfortable. 3*

How strange. In my third year of university I began writing a story inspired by university life,…read moreand the pub everyone went to was called The Hare and Hounds. In fact there's been a real Hare and Hounds here in Shudehill all this time and I'd never realised it. Probably because I didn't have much reason to go to Shudehill back then, but there we have it. Well shame on me, because this is one of the oldest pubs in Manchester. It's in the Northern Quarter, but think of it as something of an alternative to it, because while the majority of the NQ is dedicated to quirks and boho vibes and artsiness with just the right amount of scruff and a few airs and graces, pretension ends here. This is about as down to earth as you can get. You'll find old men by the door (the front door of which is adjacent to both pawn and porn shops and apparently what is one of Manchester's most famous and discreet brothels... mmm, local culture) smoking pipes and cigarettes, and if you can muster up the bravery to walk past them, it's worth it. This place is soaked in character in the same way the likes of the King's Arms in Salford is, with a legendary Karaoke night full of geriatrics crooning along to Frank Sinatra and cheap drinks aplenty. The food is as down to earth as the place - decent, honest and simple. With friendly staff and live music upstairs sometimes, this pub is about as central as you can get and definitely worthy of a few visits. Practise your gruff voice and start whinging about 'the youth of today' and you'll fit right in, squire.