Gotta check out this 1556 building and the English pub. The building is old timber with really neat windows. It's a narrow and tall building with separate floors for dining. We dined on the second floor for lunch on a Sat. We did not have reservations-but they are recommended. My friend dined on a lively chicken bacon avo salad. I had the chicken bacon cheese sandwich. We added halloumi fries which were delish! Our waitress was MIA most of the time-needing to go to the bar to ask for check and to order. read more

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The Old Wellington was a great choice for our first meal in Manchester. I had been scoping out places to eat in the area prior to our visit, and with it's unique facade and close proximity to the day's activities, it made for a memorable meal. The food itself was delicious. I had a carrot soup. It was fresh and not overly salty. The sourdough bread and butter was the perfect complement and I enjoyed my meal immensely. My husband had a salmon bowl which looked incredible, but I didn't sample. One of the things we really liked about The Old Wellington was the high caliber of food quality. Being that we had just embarked on our UK trip, it was nice to have a meal that was healthy. I was really blown away by how great the food was and extra happy that I didn't have to settle for something overly rich that would've weighed me down for the days of walking ahead. While the atmosphere and the food were 5 stars all the way, I am deducting one star for the length of time it took to get the food. We scanned the QR code on our table to place our order (a relic from Covid times I suppose), and it took nearly 40 minutes for our food to arrive. We noticed other people going in and placing their orders, but this was confusing since our drink order arrived in a somewhat timely manner. We had timed tickets for an attraction nearby, so I had to leave part of my meal behind. Kind of a bummer since the food was so good and an hour should've been plenty of time to not feel rushed. Of worthy mention is the conveniently central location in Manchester. Literally less than 5 minutes walk to great shopping, Chetham's Library and Manchester Cathedral. We loved our time in Manchester, and someday we'll be back to try more from the Old Wellington. Next time, we'll place our order inside :-) read more

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This was recommended by a very reliable friend from Glasgow. Went in without a reservation and found a seat on the third floor. The place is filled with people, quite busy and not too noisy. To order you use a QR code and the process is fairly simple. Drinks came first -- I tried lemonade which was my first time with British lemonade. A very mellow and not very tart drink. Pleasant would be the world to use. I order calamari and ocean fish and chips. The portions are huge. Now the calamari was greasy and not hot. Not sure if this sat out of what. If a staff person had some by and asked, I would have sent it back. The fish and chips were bland, the batter was not crispy and very greasy again. Not the best but also not the worst I have eaten. I tried the mushy peas and the color was not a pea color, and the peas, well not my favorite. Come for the beer and ambiance and perhaps be weary of the rest. read more

the whole vibe and atmosphere was excellent. Fish and chips was fresh and tasty, and everybody was friendly and helpful. as a tourist we found this place in an accident, didn't plan this at all, but we glad that we decided to give this place a try. read more

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Really amazing building and space. Right next to the cathedral and centrally located in a busy area means great sights and people watching. However, even rather early on a Saturday it was very crowded. It also seems to draw a lot of tourists due to its historic nature. Unfortunately, this made seating very difficult to get outside on the patio on a nice day. Also, outdoor tables weren't bused so, dozens of glasses were stacked up on tables and the patio was fairly unkempt. Not a bad spot for a pint, but, may want other options at crowded times. read more

Was one of our last stops for places we wanted to try based on reviews we saw about traveling in Manchester. The food was great. I had my first pie with the BRITISH STEAK & NICHOLSON'S PALE ALE PIE. My wife got the GARLIC CHICKEN SCHNITZEL. Both were delightful. read more

The Old Wellington - GARLIC CHICKEN SCHNITZEL and BRITISH STEAK & NICHOLSON'S PALE ALE PIE. - Gastropubs Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Great ambience built-in the early 1500's. Great pub vibe amazing food and lots of beer to choose from on draft read more

The Old Wellington - Gastropubs Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to this place. It still has so much of the historical charm that I appreciate I ate upstairs in the dining room. There was a considerable crowd, enjoying the outdoors dining space which is pretty spacious. The service was excellent and attentive. Although the sausage I ordered was not very visually appealing that was of course not due to Chef's presentation. Sausages just aren't that beautiful. But the food was very hot and tasty. I had to get a bit of an education when I ordered dessert because I wasn't sure what clotted cream was exactly what custard was in the context of a side for the crumble. My waitress was very patient and recommended the custard which was phenomenal. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who has an appreciation of historical building and excellent food and service. read more

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The building of the Old Wellington dates back to 1552, giving it a unique decor with ancient wood beams supporting walls and ceiling. Pies are the specialty of the hous. I enjoyed the wild boar and chorizo pie, followed by an apple and blackberry crumble served with custard. Both were a unique and delicious experience. My wife had the sticky toffee pudding which was an absolute delight. For the ambiance and the food, this is a must-go in Manchester. read more

The Old Wellington - Apple and BlackBerry Crumble - Gastropubs Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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Beautiful half-timbered building dating back to the 16th century - according to a friendly couple on a nearby table the building has actually been moved twice! Have had trouble getting in before so we booked for Boxing Day (December 26) will in advance for an early 5pm dinner. As it turns out we didn't need to since the pub closed at 7pm (we learned at 6:45) and it was near empty upstairs (restaurant on 1st and 2nd floor). Service was really good and friendly. We all enjoyed our food - side salads, calimari, pies (see pics) and my steak. Only complaint was that my steak was beyond medium - and the gentleman on the next table had the same issue :( Desserts good too. Will we be back? Yes! And it is right next to a huge shopping mall.... Review #117 2019 read more

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Instantly walking through the doors, I felt at home. We were served quickly with a pint of Nicholson's Pale Ale and the was kind enough to bring us a cup of hot chocolate to our table for my pregnant wife so she didn't have to stand. Our server also recommended the Illuminati and the Schnitzel, both fantastic. This family friendly, bustling pub where you feel at home (as it once was) is a perfect place to enjoy a meal for a first time or repeat visit to Manchester. read more

The Old Wellington - Gastropubs Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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Lovely pub! We had a great dinner here for our first night in Manchester... I felt that it was a wonderful quintessential English experience at this historical pub. Main floor offers a great happy hour. The patio is very popular. We dined on the 2nd floor and our view overlooked the beer garden. We loved every bite of the kid fish n chips, steak pie and chicken n Mushroom pies. The refreshing shandy was perfect, as were the black currant and lime Cordial. We also greatly enjoyed the sticky toffee with custard, and the kids brownie made our son very happy. Service was friendly, ambiance was awesome and we will come back for sure. In fact, we intend to bring friends. read more

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What a wonderful welcome to Manchester! Hungry after our trip, lucky to sit outside under a huge umbrella. Was afraid portions would be too small for us Americans but was I wrong! Halloumi fries were ok. Chicken schnitzel was phenomenal- fried perfectly, piping hot and chicken was tender. Burger was massive (Wellington burger?) double beef patties, hash browns, soft seeded bun. Was so thirsty from traveling, the tall glass of cold club soda hit the spot! read more

Absolutely amazing place. not just that it's also truly fantastic fabulous place to visit and eat. Also to relax and enjoy a nice quiet evening with amazing food and drinks. Also it has quality service with excellent staff service including. I would recommend this place to anyone and everyone thumps up from me and my partner read more

The Old Wellington - Me and my partner. Enjoying a nice quiet afternoon lunch together at the old wellington - Gastropubs Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Quintessential old school Manchester. Meat pies and fish and chips were so good. Enjoyed sitting outside in the sun with a pint. read more

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Just one of my Favorites. Great pies, Fish and chips and good service. And matched with a Guinness makes it that much better. read more

This was one of our stops of our pub crawl. Cool pub. We ordered some food to keep us going. The halloumi fries and calamari were delicious: we wl likely stop in here again next time we are in the city centre. read more

My friend had Guinness and I had cider, both of which were pretty standard. But we split the fish platter and it was not only excellent in taste but in variety and presentation as well. I understand why it was busy! read more

Oh Old Wellington I have rated your pies and service so high in the past that I decided to take my friends here on our Christmas night out! Reporting back the service really let the meal down unfortunately for me that organised the evening! We ordered ahead to get the Christmas menu - 3 courses for 20.95 paying a £5 deposit each to secure the table. We arrived early and were stood waiting in the doorway for a good 10 minutes before someone came over and seated us...not a great start! Next we had to grab the attention of someone to take our drinks order which was frustrating. With no introduction our meals arrived promptly all the starters we were impressed with - mine being the duck parfait which was tasty. The plates were removed swiftly and the next course arrived mid-present opening as we got in the Christmas spirit with our cracker hats on and all! The turkey dinner was ok - the turkey wasn't top quality and the Yorkshire puddings were clearly from frozen. But then it was a cheap eats and we weren't overly fussy... Next was another round of grab a waitress for another order of drinks - getting a bit boring I know. The desserts arrived next - a bowl of plenty for me which was ice cream, fresh cream and salted caramel profiteroles which were tasty. I liked the fact that we didn't get rushed out of our seats after this as we did sit for some time finishing off our second bottle of prosecco. We caught someones attention for our bill which eventually arrived without our deposit taken off. Overall the service really did let this place down for me. From past experience you normally get a feedback card where staff are keen for good feedback as their boss will buy them a pint if you complete the score cards highly! I think I'll be best sticking to the pie and mash in the future to use up some £5 off vouchers from our crackers - atleast i'll be back I think... read more

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I just had to give this place an update after a recent visit. First of all I was so impressed with the staff, I popped to the upstairs bar with the brunette (we'd just bought a ton of dresses and felt like we needed a stiff drink to calm down) and forgoing the lighter white wine spritzers we needed to take the bank account pain away immediately, resulting in two large glasses. Can I just say that the house and cheaper wine options are magical here. I went for a Sendero sauv blanc and the brunette opted for the house red, and when the girl behind the bar accidentally poured me red she was so apologetic but so jovial and funny at the same time. 'Oh, I'll just have to drink it myself then, oh dear!' she said to her fellow bartender, who was equally lovely and called every guy who entered 'our kid' and every girl 'darling'. I love that Mancunian charm. Why do you think I've stayed here so long? Delicious, delicious wine. It really hit the spot and even though we weren't ordering food, we weren't ushered away from our comfy seats in the dining area either. Brilliant stuff. It's moments like this which make me so glad these little pubs were rebuilt brick by brick. The Wellington's starting to get that second home vibe now. Excellent. Plus those Sunday lunches are stonking, I started to get severe food jealousy after a while. read more

The Old Wellington is absolutely beautiful. It looks like something straight out of The Shire. The bar has really low ceilings and dark timbered wood giving it a super cozy feel. I heard that the entire place was relocated brick by brick after being destroyed in the war. I had a good ol chicken pot pie and it was pretty good. After lunch you can go around to the back of the restaurant and check out the gorgeous cathedral. Even if you don't eat here, it's worth it to come in, grab a pint and check out the interior. The only little complaint I have is that it's not open long enough into the night, but other than that I will definitely be back. read more

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We very much enjoyed our visit to the Old Wellington. The fish and chips was hearty and delicious, and the selection of beers was great. I had one of the daily pies, which happened to be sweet potato and goat cheese. The pie was fantastic. The crust had a buttery flavor to it and wasn't the least bit soggy. The filling was delicious and paired well with the gravy and hefty portion of veggies that came with it. Our waiter, James, was lovely and attentive. A great place to stop if you're in the area (and trying to eat something more traditional than the abundance of chain restaurants nearby) read more

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Old Wellington is a good pub with decent food. Prices are good. Service on the food is a bit on the slow side. My wife had Fish and chips with mushy peas which was good. I had the club sandwich which was average with the exception of the chips which were yummy. Two pints to wash it all down and job well done! The building is great and location opposite Selfridges is a great location. With better service could be a 4*! read more

Any pub that sells Belgian cherry beer is alright by me. Having lived on a Spanish Costa for 8 years, unable to enjoy such beverages, I am now making a conscious effort to make up for lost time - and The Old Wellington offers the perfect environment in which to do so. Its tudor-style exterior is what drew me in initially. It looks like something from Shakespearian times (and probably is) plus I've been eyeing up its ample beer garden in preparation for a sunny day. Its interior is much how I imagined - wooden beams on low celings and traditional decor. I reckon it's haunted (any venue which is THAT old has to house at least ONE ghost, right?) but that hasn't stopped me drinking there twice now. It's warm, friendly and serves hearty British pub grub to boot. What more could an ex-expat ask for? Prices are average but that's ok. I'd rather they weren't dirt cheap as this ensures none of the 'Jezza Kyle' lot will be frequenting. Phew! *wipes sweat from brow* read more

The Old Wellington - Traditional British boozers - Gastropubs Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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Service was slow and not transparent , we had to ask after an hour of waiting where our food was to be told that kitchen did a mistake, starters came , average quality dish for an expensive price. Now we are already 2hs in the restaurant and still waiting for our main dishes. Not coming here anymore read more

I've been holding back on reviewing The Old Wellington because I used to work there. But when I got to thinking about it, I decided I wasn't going to say anything bad anyway, so I might as well do it. This popular bar, affectionately known as The Welly is situated in Cathedral Gates, in a little conglomerate of pubs which includes the equally as famous Sinclair's Oyster Bar. It also contains the Crown and Anchor and The Mitre, but The Welly and The Oyster Bar are by far the two best. They share a large paved beer garden as well which makes the area ideal for a summer pint. The Welly is a Nicholson's pub which means that the beers and food are very similar to those experienced elsewhere in Manchester, for example The Athenaeum and The Bank. However, compared to those others pubs, this one is slightly superior. Its location is excellent and its produce is slightly better. There's a good selection of ales, including gorgeous Timothy Taylor, which are all perfectly looked after and well served. In terms of food, they specialize in pies, offering a number of lovely options. I find it hard to make a recommendation more specific than just saying eat a pie! They're all so good. My particular favorites are the Ham Hock pie, the Steak and Ale, and the Steak and Mushroom Suet Pudding. You can also get a in pie platter with four tiny little pies on, which is good for sharing if you're not too hungry. They also do a great Fish & Chips, which has a large option, which is more than any reasonable man can eat. Burgers are less special but still not bad. Basically if you're paying a visit to Manchester then this age-old pub, which was moved brick by brick 100 meters down the road some years ago, is one of the must visit locations. read more

Been here a couple of times, always great service and a fab beer garden for when it is actually hot I'm Manchester! I've mostly had drinks here before, they have one of my favourite ciders aspall here which is always welcome! They do have a selection of ales, layers and soft drinks etc to cater for everyone. When friends have had food here before it's been great honest pub grub and never complained ! read more

Cute li'l ye olde English pub with real ales! Seating outside in the rare Autumn Mancunian sun! What's not to love? read more

The Old Wellington - Gastropubs Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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I have always liked this pub, it has a homely feel and is comfortable, if it is not sunny there is a great room upstairs. The staff are well trained as they will make a recommendation of what to drink with the various dishes on the menu, also if you ask they will tell you what they think is good, which is always a good sign. It is fairly standard pub fair but not had a bad dish here yet, the pies are good. There is real ale, sometimes something a bit more local, there is table service if you are getting food which is always pleasing too. Even the wine choices are fairly good, which is not something you can often say about the pubs in the city centre. read more

Wonderful traditional style Nicholson's pub next to Manchester cathedral. Of the pubs surrounding Exchange Square this is my clear favourite. The exterior of The Old Wellington is spectacular Tudor style, while the interior is very cosy featuring a low wooden beam ceiling. In the summer you can sit outside in the square if you feel inclined. Real Ales and food are available at The Old Wellington. read more

good prices, great food and directly next to one of the cheapest pubs around (sinclair's oyster bar)! Had some great fish and chips, a couple of pints and a free desert :-) Great service and nice vibe! Eat here then go drink next door!!! read more

I wanted to try here for traditional English food, as we are from California. Had the chicken pot pie and a salad, some ales. Charming building, located in touristy city centre by the mall. Food and ales were FANTASTIC!! read more

Try the pie sampler. Good brews, and great atmosphere. On that alone, I am a fan. read more

I'm partial to a bit of Sinclair, but Old Wellington, Welly, wow, you're just as brilliant mate. This area around the Triangle encompasses some of the best city centre pubs and just cries genius. I love them for their old worldy projectile amongst a city centre bustle and the shiny wheel of Manchester. The open fire, man it may have stole my heart. £2.60 for a glass of sauvignon blanc. A see a romance blossoming. read more

I studied Tudor History, so to me The Old Wellington has always been THE place. I've always loved it, even before I started visiting it quite regularly. I go there now and again on my own, as well as with friends, and am likely to visit this weekend because I've not been for a while, and I miss it. But frankly, one needs not to be an historian to understand how great it is to sit inside the inn that existed already in 1550s. To touch that old timber and wooden nails. To watch the lighted facade of Selfridges and Harvey Nichols, and people drinking in the yard between Old Wellington, Sinclair's, and Mitra. Whether you are drinking wine or beer, the feeling of descending into the depth of history is complete. I've tried different dishes from their menu (mainly traditional English, but they offer a risotto, too), and my favourites are meat platter, risotto, and Shepherd pie. They do good ice-cream, but an apple pie with custard is just the right order to round off the lovely meal. The very top floor is sometimes closed for visitors, but if you do get the chance to go there, certainly do. There is nothing like sitting under the timber roof that was assembled and reassembled a few times, or having to walk under a low beam, short of accidentally banging your head against it. I love bringing friends there, or just casually talking to people who, like me, enjoy their food and drinks. The wine list always has good selection, but I often browse their beer list for some seasonal favourites. Sadly, they don't always stock my choice, but I usually find a good substitute in some form of a silky smooth bitter. read more

I've always been a Sinclair's girl so have rarely ventured into the Old Wellington. It was always just 'that pub' that shared the beer garden with Sinclair's. However, I was recently invited out for lunch with a friend and we settled on the Old Wellington (we were with her father, who is a big fan of real ale). I can't comment on the quality of the ale as it's not my bag, baby. But I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. The food is 'pub grub' but of a much higher standard than a lot of places. I ordered the steak and it was absolutely perfect. My friend ordered the roast dinner. Again, perfect. And her father ordered one of the many pies on offer. Verdict? Perfect. Prices for food are extremely reasonable (£7.95 for the steak) and portion sizes are definitely on the 'ginormous' side of generous. read more

Not a terribly friendly welcome when we turned up more than 20 minutes before closing time for a night cap. However, a decent range of beers meant the group of us all found something we enjoyed (White Shield on draught, alcoholic Ginger beer etc). Will probably stop by again in the daylight to appreciate the location - it's very near to the Renaissance Hotel where we were staying. read more

What can you say about the Old Wellington but you have to go when you're in Manchester. I remember going here on my first couple forays into Manc life way back in 1992 & 1994. This was prior to the bomb in Market Street, back when it was still at "The Shambles" off Corporation St. The setting wasn't quite as majestic, seemed like it was stuck in between too many car parks - it was a bit more of a place to stumble across than a destination. Went back in 2012 (it had been too long!) and moving it over toward the Triangle and the Cathedral after the bomb damage couldn't have done it any better, there is now a vibrant summer patio scene and it stands out on its own as a great looking historical building. Great British traditional food upstairs and you can't beat the patio for a nice pint on a summer's day. So glad it's survived and is doing better than ever. read more

I'm not sure why this place has 3 Yelp accounts. It was rebuilt since it got blown to pieces in 1996. That said, this place is legit. I've been to over a 100 traditional style old English pubs during my work travels to the U.K. Locals or tourists a like, this place is awesome and will brighten your day. A cold pulled pint always helps me turn that frown upside down. Plenty of local subs and some foreign ones too (gag Bud). Just returned from business in Manchester and stopped by. I'll be back in a month or so and will need to recharge the travel battery at Old Wellington. read more

Great bar, has iron maidens red n black trooper porter, great starter, the London peculiar, pulled pork and veg with Bramley apples and mint sauce, a main meal of gaming, eggs, chips and peas, grilled to perfection. Music is quiet and unobtrusive, range of real ales on tap is extremely good, and is a very easy walk downhill to the bus station. Prices are, as expected in a heart of the city pub, on the high side of normal. This is to be expected in a city center establishment. read more

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