How to describe the ground floor of C&G...probably Sk8er Bois crossed with a bit of voodoo crossed with dinner at The Flintstones'. It was bustling in there when we arrived for our meal (we booked ahead of time) and our table was tucked to the side of the bar so we were still immersed in the atmosphere of the place but nicely out of the way. The Rib Joint & Tap Bar is covered in 80s skateboarding elements, including an awesome 'tiled' wall made from sawn-up skateboards. Set over three floors, we were disappointed to hear that the upper two weren't open that night (the First Floor Bar had been booked for a private event and the Liars Lounge on the second floor was simply closed). Hope to be able to fully explore next time. Anyway, on to the dining - they have a decent cocktail menu, including examples such as Deep South Zombie (hence the earlier voodoo reference) and a huuuuge list of beers either on tap, in bottles or cans. Conversely, the food menu is remarkably short - with varieties of pork or beef ribs and about a dozen side dishes. The only vegetarian main course is the Watermelon Salad (which was very good apparently). The carnivores in the group awaited the ribs and when they arrived I think most of our jaws hit the floor. They looked like meals for cavemen. Serious pieces of meat on the bone but with a generous meat-to-bone ratio. The gorgeously juicy beef Short Ribs I ordered (£22) simply sloughed off the bones. The side order of Smoke Pit Beans & Burnt Ends (£4) were tasty, but not as good as Red's True BBQ's in my opinion. Cue the meat sweats. I was still full until dinnertime the next day, which if you know me is a serious matter indeed! The only minor quibble was the flimsy paper covers on the metal dinner trays that the food was placed on - it gets somewhat 'mushed' when you're trying to eat your ribs which is annoying - get rid of them! read more

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Popped in the other night for a few beers with friends, so this review doesn't take into account the food and day time service. On first looks it seems fairly small inside however there is an upstairs section that pretty much doubles the capacity. We grabbed a drink downstairs from the bar before heading up to the upper deck which I preferred. It was a nice chilled out setting and the bar staff were really friendly and great at recommending drinks. I'll be back to taste the food some time soon, and will update the review once I have! Stay tuned :) read more

Cane & Grain - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Visited with friends last month, as it's one of the few places in Northern Quarter where you can book a table! It was packed downstairs when we arrived on the Friday night - good atmosphere - and upstairs in the restaurant it had an upbeat vibe but a good volume for talking. Cool decor, although the seating was a little odd - lots of stools and they wouldn't let you switch chairs. Still, it was a cosy ambience and we were served quickly. Good menu - very indulgent so great for weekend treats. I went for the burger with Mac and cheese in the side. Both were delicious, especially the mac which was packed with garlic and loaded with cheese. Washed down with a nice bottle of white wine too at a good price. My friend was a bit upset at the service; the waiter didn't bring her coleslaw with the meal, despite her reminding a member of staff. Then at the end he made a weird comment about her not pointing it out. Anyway, aside from that incident the service was okay - nothing to write home about but fast and the food redeemed it! read more

I finally ate here after having previously drunk in all three bars (once to serious excess which nearly resulted in me missing a flight. Never. Again.) I really like the look of the mid level speakeasy bar, which also has good old music. The cocktail I had last night, autumn leaves, was absolutely delicious. We were however surprised that no one came to see if we wanted another one, so eventually we just left. It had only just opened and so maybe the staff weren't really going yet. I t kind of had a weird vibe like they were hanging out with friends and it was kind of annoying that we were in their as customers. The bottom floor bar has a skater theme and features the likes of Metallica as background music. It's a bit more industrial chic, the decor really does nothing for me. We had food down here and enjoyed the comfy leather seating along the wall. i really really enjoyed my ribs (St Louis Spares), which were far better than those I've had at Red's. The meat fell of the bone and although I initially thought I wouldn't be able to finish it I cleaned every rib. I normally don't like fat but on these ribs it was just enough to give it a delicious flavour. I ordered the bourbon sauce (which surprised me by coming cold) but ended up swapping with my date who got the very nice rum one. He also suggested I ordered the dark and stormy cocktail which I would have avoided due to fact I believe rum makes me crazy. Again it was really really good - these cocktails are more expensive than other places in the NQ but strong, big and well made. Just how I like them. Oh also I got truffle fries. They were so damn good. So. damn. good. I just can't even talk about how much I love cheese and truffles and potatoes and things that are fried. it's interesting how similar this place is to Crafty Pig but I think across the scale is better. I do think it's good to go early for food though, imagine it's probably stressful later on. read more

Cane and Grain aka 'the bar with several floors' is one of a few bars I frequent on a night out in the Northern Quarter- this is usually my first stop as it's a bit more low key. I usually just hang downstairs in the American-style bar, which has a huge selection of beers from around the world, as well as tables and high tables with stools so you can pull up a seat and chat with friends. It's a good meeting spot for a casual drink and its square shape makes it easy to spot your friends, although like everywhere in the NQ, it gets packed on weekends. Like another reviewer said the decor is a bit like something out of the Flinstones. They're known for their ribs, so last time I got a half rack of baby back ribs with the bourbon sauce, which comes with a small pot of fries for £7. They have a huge selection of BBQ sauces to go with your ribs and they also serve burgers, among other things. I've also been to the second floor which is a tiki bar and gets rather warm...we had buckets which reminded me of being in Thailand and the rest of the night was a blur. Generally though, I stick to downstairs. The music can be quite rock-y, but on weekends they play a lot of the mainstream hits too. Most people in here seem to be dressed pretty casual/hipster. read more

Cane & Grain - Ribs - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

As a Saturday drinking den, I wasn't impressed with what Cane & Grain had to offer. It was super busy (as you'd expect it to be!) with three people behind the ground floor bar. Three people serving a combination of simple shorts and complicated cocktails; unlucky for us, we were behind a large group all ordering zombies. Which meant a wait of at least 20 minutes to get anywhere near the bar. We did try to get a drink in the upper tiki bar but found it to be just as busy - and less staffed - than the ground floor. We wanted to check out the first floor bar but were told it was fully booked - obviously until some friends of someone who worked there arrived and they were escorted upstairs straight away. Expected for a Saturday night, but I'd like to think the NQ was above that. Perhaps not. Stick to ribs - and maybe the cheeky mid-week drink. read more

(Deliveroo review: all about the food) Had some amazing food, ribs were out of this world and the way they packaged food for delivery was excellent! So best ribs I've ever had. The cornbread was lovely and warm with the right amount of savoury and the hot as f*ck fries where gorgeous, though I would contend they were not close to hot, same as the wings, spicy but nowhere near hot as f*ck. The flavours throughout all the food were immense, it was a great hearty meal with superb portion sizes, my guess is that they give a little extra on delivery as the price is a tad on the high side but I did feel I got my money's worth, enough leftover for me n the gal to have food tonight too so can't moan there! read more

Cane & Grain - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

I have to unfortunately lower my rating on this place due to sorely being disappointed last night... I decided to bring a colleague here after work because we were both starving after a late finish..I wasn't sure what time they stopped serving food here because it just said until late... When we arrived at 9.20pm we discovered the ground floor busy...the lovely lady at the front suggested we try the saloon bar upstairs... The decor was very cosy with odd stuffed squirrel lamps on walls and leather seats...when we were guided to a table I sat down in a puddle...there was a big spillage under the table so we moved...I notified the waitress who didn't seem best pleased. The male waiter that served us was lovely and apologised for the spillage and poured us some water with slices of cucumber... He was soon replaced by the grumpy waitress who told us to order quickly because the chef was going home... For the rest of the evening I felt hostile...the waitress made us feel most unwelcome.. When the food arrived my usual salad, Mac n cheese and Corn bread was well presented and tasty...my friends however struggled to get any meat from the ribs... Overall I left feeling unsatisfied and unwelcomed...and a bit embarrassed how I had raved about this place to my friend.... read more

I really enjoyed our night at Cane & Grain - this could be because we were on a night out already and our group was a good'un but it really hit the spot in terms of being somewhere I could see myself hanging out for a few beers time and time again. The food menu being pretty limited - it's basically just ribs (but they were damn good ones), we sat near the bar and tucked into some pretty amazing Flintstone-esque pieces of magic - which came with a few sides such as the mac'n'cheese that I had and it doesn't happen often but I was totally stuffed afterwards! A good job there was no dessert menu because if I had been tempted I may have exploded across the whole bar! The beers were all pretty standard NQ offerings (which means pretty decent craft beer) and I am coming around more and more to the Longhammer IPA which I seem to be seeing in more and more places. Due to limited menu this is somewhere I couldn't see myself eating in more than once a month but when I do I'll look forward to getting back into some serious bone chewing... read more

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The description may read American restaurant, but my experience of Can & Grain has thus far been only as a meeting place/drinking hole that remains open when other establishments have closed. "Excuse me is this the new place with three floors?" One Saturday not so long ago we all got a tad merry and were looking for a place to continue choo choo'ing our party train. A typical Saturday night shouting match of a phone conversation had taken place earlier in which a friend of mine had told me about C&G (Sounds like a fashion brand when I say it like that no?). Despite her repeating the name of this humble abode three times, for numerous reasons(noise/second conversation/merryment/music/Oddbarness) I failed to catch it each time. All that I retained from the conversation was "Its the new place with three floors". And that concludes the pretext to the opening question to the bouncer at C & G! The exaggerated/tacky American decor was immediately forgotten as we streamed in, blissful in the knowledge that our night was to continue. Having multiple floors filtered the crowd throughout the venue, which is essential when it's busy. And that it was. We had our dancing shoes ready and the crowded atmosphere fuelled the urge to satisfy our respective needs to boogie boogie the night away. And we did! Majority of our time was spent in the Tikki bar on the second floor and a great time was had. The seating was plentiful/comfortable and the introverts of our group were more than happy with that arrangement as well as the flat screen showing an old film on the wall. I'm yet to grace the 3rd floor and try the food, so expect more check ins and an updated review in the not so distant future. In the meantime try it on for size yourself and let me know what you thought. read more

Cane & Grain - Fun times! - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Cane and Grain is located on Thomas Street in the Northern Quarter. Spread over 3 floors you will find a different ambience and reception in each one. The ground floor is bustling and focused around beer with the 1st floor being more 'exclusive' (their words not mine) with bourbon and ribs in a more relaxed atmosphere. The top floor is tiki themed so expect rum and fire galore. The bar has been opened by the brains behind the Black Dog chain and the Liars Club. I spent some time in the first floor bar at their launch an enjoyed the New Orleans fizz (like floral cream soda) as well as the tea infused Bloomsbury Tale. At £8 and £9 retrospectively they are quite pricey for their location but the first floor is nice and chilled out with big leather booths and copper tables. If you are into taxidermy you will find a number of squirrels hanging from the wall lights and each has a name....! Food wise we tried the baby back ribs covered in a hot mustard sauce topped with cauliflower. They reminded me of spicy piccalilli and, not being a mustard fan, they weren't really for me but the meat was very tender and fell off the bones the way it should. The tater tots were tasty with creamy potato in the centre and the coating of the tiki fries was really good. My only concern is that the prices are fairly high and, food wise, there is nothing different here that you can't get elsewhere in the city. The cocktails however were beautiful and there is never going to be a bad thing to say about a Liars Lounge on this side of the city. There is a different drinks menu on each floor so I look forward to trying them all out in turn. read more

Cane & Grain - New Orleans fizz - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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I had high hopes for this being spectacular. we was seated very quickly the restaurant area was loud and was lacking atmosphere the bar tender failed to crack a smile or even look remotely intrested her job as was more intrested in chatting to here friends who where sat at the discussing work and what seemed to be bar politics. We was given or starter but as soon as soon as we had finished and yes I was still chewing she started clearing our plate rude to say the least. I was very disappointed with the food going for the ribs and only to be greeted by them topped by onions I never got told about or asked was i ok with this and did not state on the menu luckily I do not have a aligi. The meat was bland and dry on the ribs The sides of corn bred where dry and heavy. And I am bored of being served my food in a tray and in a camping mug this is my biggest bug bear. Overall I have been left disappointed in this place. read more

Cane & Grain - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Felt like I was home in the states. The vibe is casual with a focus on craft beers, burgers ans booze. The mexican bean burger is a perfect combo of spixy beans, nachos and cheese that looks more appetizing and elegant than my description. The flavors are great and would recommend even if you arent a vegetarian. The pulled buffalo chicken sandwich was great but couldve used more of a kick..that being said, whatever hot sauce they brought me was delicious and added the finishing touch, thankfully since it cost me £1 extra. The house fries are nice but beware if you dont like spice bc they have a slight kick. read more

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Before you decide on Cain and Grain I have some questions for you. Q1. Do you like meat? Q2. Do you like meat of a bone big enough to beat people with? If you said yes to the above question you are probably going to like this place. I think I should enplane in this a little bit more. Cain and Grain is a new pub / clue / rib joint, this review is really only on the first of the three floor this place has - so I wouldn't say it a complete review. When I when here I was only able to see the first floor off the three this place has, part of the reason I am reserving the higher stars until I get an idea of the whole place. This was me trying out the ribs. My mind sees ribs as something that is more bone then ribs, with a sauce that is far far too sweet. This place has taught me what really ribs should be like! Lots of meat, very tender and covered in a sauce that works with the favour. Nom. So I will be coming back here, to see what the rest of the place is like - so expect an update of me soon. read more

Cane & Grain - The walls of the place - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Been here a few times now and love the vibe, the food, the drinks, the music. Somebody controlling the play list loves a bit of rock and roll and I'm always happy to drink in an AC/DC-friendly establishment. :-) Went for lunch the other day and for £5, we had the tastiest shredded rib burger ever. With the ample portion of fries too, it was a highly satisfying great value meal. (Consider the meagre portion of nachos for £9 at El Capo, in comparison)... Good selection of rums and wine, with some great/entertaining staff who like to set fire to things. Ended up on the second floor late last night and ordered the macaroni cheese around 9.30pm....it was served in a mug which I thought was a fantastic idea! It was delicious and just what I needed to carry on drinking rum into the small hours! read more

Cane & Grain only opened recently in Manchester's trendy Northern Quarter, and billed itself from the beginning as being a bar and rib joint, spread over several floors, including a tiki lounge. I decided to pop in for lunch one day whilst I was in the city, and was pleased to see there were some tasty and very affordable lunchtime offers available, so I wandered inside. The décor is that modern-hipster style of rough-and-ready, distressed paint and textures etc, but still spacious and colourful with art on the walls. Also it's not really related, but I love their logo! From the lunch menu I ordered the rib-roll and fries, which I thought for £5 was very well priced! I also ordered a lemon-lime Ting (£2 a can, but hey you can't win them all), which was perfect for the sunny hot day, which also prompted me to sit outside in their outdoor seating area, and people watch... which in the Northern Quarter is a bit more interesting than in the rest of the city! The staff are young, friendly, and professional, which is pleasant and welcoming to those of us who might otherwise feel a little out-of-place in modern and dare I say "hip" places. Yes I said hip. Shut up. My food arrived looking delicious, and served on a metal tray and with a metal mug of fries (hipster places don't like plates). The pork roll was succulent and tasty, served with red onions and gherkin slices. The fries were seasoned absolutely perfectly, with "tiki salt" according to one of the staff. They were hot, crisp, and very tasty indeed! I only popped here for lunch during the day, and I imagine when it's busy at night and the cocktails are flowing in the Liars Lounge it may have an atmosphere different altogether, but I think it's one I'd be quite happy to check out sometime, as this came across as a friendly and good quality venue which I can imagine hanging out in with my friends. I'll definitely be back for that fabulous lunch deal again! 7 quid for a large freshly made pork roll with seasoned fresh fries and a drink in the city centre is a steal! read more

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The location of this place is great, right in the heart of the Northern Quarter and it has to be one of the most popular bars. We hadn't made any reservations before we came here on the weekend so unfortunately there was no space in the bar through the hidden door, which is a shame because it looked great in there so I will have to try that another time. Whilst we were here we tried some of the burgers along with a few cocktails. The burgers were pretty tasty and I really liked the truffle cheese fries. The cocktails were also pretty good although none of the ones I tried really stood out. Unfortunately whilst we were there it was incredibly busy which certainly means they are doing something right but with it being so busy it was difficult to get a real feel for the place. I will be returning again soon and will update my review then but for now what I can say is that the food and cocktails are good and the place looks the part, I will be back. read more

Cane & Grain - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

This is a nice bar to go before clubs at weekends. The last time I went, the downstairs played rock music & upstairs played R&B hiphop. The cocktails costed 7 pounds for a standard one. There are about 10 different types of cocktails on the menu. Some costed more like the zombie (9 pounds). I had a watermelon cocktail & it was a bit too sweet. My friend's had a painkiller which tasted nice. The dance floor upstairs was quite small, so not really a place for clubbing. But it's nice to come here for a cocktail before hitting next door to dance in Terrace. read more

Cane & Grain - Painkiller - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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Never in my life have I see a rib as big as the Dino Rib from Cane & Grain. Not only that but it was truly delicious. The meat was so tender and the bourbon sauce was the perfect accompaniment. The fries were good - well cooked and, more importantly, well seasoned, and my Mac n' Cheese side was superb as well. A couple of the other sides floating around were the corn bread (definitely moreish), the Pit beans, and pickles. All good additions to a stack of meat. Despite it only serving ribs, there was enough choice to make me want to return, but a couple of alternatives (meat or otherwise) might open them up to fussier audiences. The beer selection was extensive and the cocktails looked great. Service was good and friendly, and it was topped off with a lively atmosphere. A couple of pedantic issues are making me reserve the 5th star: The menu is a little cryptic. I didn't know the difference between short ribs and dino ribs, and the menu wasn't about to offer any suggestions. The sauces have no description (Ting, anyone?) which makes it hurt my brain to choose. There is NO DESSERT MENU!!!! The top two floors were closed when we went which meant missing out on the Tiki bar, and our table next to the bar being a little crowded. Overall though I'd definitely recommend a visit, and will definitely be going again with fellow carnivores. read more

We only stopped in here for a quick after dinner drink, so I can't comment on the food or the overall service really. The get a solid four star review however for a really seriously good old fashioned. It always makes me smile when the bar tender asks which kind of bourbon you'd like and really takes the time to make it perfect without looking annoyed about having to make a time consuming drink. Need to return to try the food, but great for a traditional cocktail. read more

I had been wanting to try out Cane & Grain ever since it opened. This is a place which specialises in ribs (and rum, bourbon and beer). Its a cool looking place which consists of 3 floors. Unfortunately, when we went the top floor - a Tiki style beer - was closed. The 2nd floor was closed for a private party. Thats a shame! I decided to have a Zombie cocktail. One of my favourite cocktails - I do like my rum based cocktails. It was OK - I have tasted better. Still good though. On to the actual food and I went for Baby Back ribs. I had a full one which cost £13. This includes fries. When it came, I thought it might not be enough and I would still be hungry but it was filling. The thing with baby back ribs is that you have to "navigate" your way between all the actual ribs. It was served in a similar way to Red's True BBQ on a metal tray/plate and between the tray and the ribs, is some paper (like greaseproof paper). This is a bit of an issue with something like baby back ribs where you doing lots of cutting. You end up cutting into the paper - so if your not careful, you could end up eating some paper. It must be the "done thing" having this paper in these rib places?? I guess without it you would end up scratching the tray. Damaging the tray and also not making a nice noise when you scratch a knife along a metal tray! The actual ribs did taste really good. On top of the ribs it looks like it had a few pretzels - which was a bit odd. It wasn't just mine as people who got other types of ribs had it too. The fries were not bad. Nothing particular different to standard fries. Some people had the beef ribs - some had the dino ribs, some the short ribs. Both of them were big huge ribs with lots of meat on a big bone - very caveman/Flintstones style. I was told it tasted good. One thing I thought about the menu was it could have done with some descriptions. Things like the dino ribs and it coming as "short" or "dino". There is no description about exactly what the difference is. Also, the different sauces and what sort of flavour the different sauces are. For example, there is a sauce called Ting. I happen to know its a Caribbean soft drink but I don't think its well know. Also, I don't really know what flavour "Porter Beer" is. If you are a vegetarian, there are options for you on the menu. One of our party was a vegetarian and she said what she had was nice. So overall very good food, not bad cocktail and great service. read more

YUM! I went here not long after opening with Jess H one evening after work and i've been back plenty times since! I do not order ribs enough and Cane and Grain really gave me no other choice! I always go for the st louis spare ribs with a side of vimto sauce - served with fries its super good and believe it or not its not too messy to eat! The meat just falls off the bone... Don't forget to order a pint of truffle mac & cheese which is to die for! I shall be back soon to try some of the amazing rum cocktails..watch this space for an updated review... read more

The location is really cool! You access the restaurant from the bar downstairs via a "hidden" door. On the top level is a rum bar which supposedly has rather good cocktails which we didn't have a chance to try. The decor is quite striking in the restaurant (squirrels on the walls) with a well stocked bar and the cocktails the bartenders were making looked delicious. My boyfriend and I came to take advantage of the 50% off January deal. He ordered ribs and I ordered the rib roll sandwich. Unfortunately, we were a bit disappointed. His ribs had very little meat on them. I thought he was exaggerating when he mentioned it, but when he gave me one to try it was almost all bone. They were also quite dry and not saucy as was expected however this can perhaps be chalked up to the particular ribs he ordered. There was some additional sauce served on the side. As for my rib roll, there was similarly not much meat on the sandwich so the "coleslaw"/cabbage to meat ratio seemed off. Being American, ribs/rib sandwiches are fairly common where I'm from and I have to say I've never seen so little meat served in a restaurant whose specialty is BBQ. Given the 50% off deal going on, I gave three stars for the value. However, if we would have gone and paid full price it would have been at least a star lower. Given the other reviews, perhaps it was a one time thing. I would have loved to rate this place higher given the cool setup with the bars upstairs and downstairs. Unfortunately, given our experience I don't think we will be back very soon. read more

Decent bar, visited on a night out along NQ and it didn't disappoint. Busy both downstairs in what's a more bar like area and then upstairs it's a little more like a club with blaring music etc. The decor tries to give out a skater sort of vibe however the crowd isn't like that. Good bar staff, don't have to wait too long to be served. Prices are what you'd expect for NQ. Would definitely go back again. read more

Great place! Two words - rum and ribs! You really can't go wrong! Some of the yummiest food you'll taste and not too bad a price to pay for it as well! Another thing is the secret door to go upstairs quite a nice touch and I guarantee you'll think somebodies having you on when they tell you to go through it! A must for anybody who loves meat and drink! read more

My first review of Cane & Grain will be a short one. We only popped in for a quick drink and only saw the ground floor. The food being taken out to passing tables looked ok, although i'm not the biggest fan of ribs. The decor was low key (although themed) and had old skool skateboarding videos playing in the back ground. It was friendly, the waiter service was prompt and i have no complaints whatsoever. I'll happily go back and see what more it has to offer and check out the gentlemans lounge themed first floor and tiki themed 2nd floor too. read more

I love the Northern Quarter and any chance to visit a restaurant I've not been to before is very exciting for me! I visited Cane and Grain with 2 friends around a month ago, and thought the overall ambiance was inviting, if a little loud. There were no clear instructions as to whether we sit down first, or go straight to the bar. We headed to a table on the ground floor, unsure as to whether there was further seating upstairs or not. We were situated between 2 tables of children, which was a little off-putting when trying to enjoy a relaxing meal! The staff were nice, if a little rushed off their feet. It was obvious they were busy but could have been more welcoming. The drinks took a long time to arrive, with the water not arriving at all, but its understandable when its pretty busy. The food was delicious. I had the chicken burger, with my friends going for the ribs. What I will say is the spicy coleslaw is spicy!! One of the hottest things I have eaten, and its only coleslaw. I asked for some water to cool down, and was more then disappointed when it didn't arrive. Once we had finished you could see there were people desperately after our seats, so we felt obliged to leave quickly. That's more down to the size and scale of the venue. Overall a pleasant experience, but I won't be rushing back. read more

Tasty tasty ribs and a great selection of beers on draught and bottled. Well work a visit when in Manchester. read more

I visited cane and grain thinking o God another American food joint..but the food put it head and shoulders above other American style restaurants in Manchester! We were a large party and orders the meat feast to share. Loads of different style of ribs served with chips, corn and corn bread. We also ordered Mac and cheese. The ribs were gorgeous; meaty and tasty especially the St. Louis ribs and the Mac and cheese was good. Really enjoyed the food and service - will be back again! read more

Hmmmmm so I have heard good things about this place. I love the northern quarter. Manchester's own version Of NYC Meat packing district versus Ibiza's old town. Quirky. Stylish. Chilled. Diverse. A real mixture of life. So after our Spinningfields visit we end up here. We walked in to the hustle and bustle of a trendy bar. Some funky music. Nice tidy clean crowd. Next thing a guy opens a door in the wall. Like bloody Narnia. We are ushered upstairs to a coolish indoor seated area. Bar was quiet. Lots of seats. On closer inspection it was mainly couples compared to our gaggle of girls and gays. Most people were eating. We were not. The music was some country music nothing like downstairs. The waitress was over friendly bless her. It lacked atmosphere. The prosecco we Purchased was a little flat and harsh to the taste. Felt like we had been put upstairs out the way. They also dont take amex which is always a let down. All in all not quite the experience we had hoped for. I will go back to check out downstairs. read more

A friend and I tried this new restaurant just minutes away from our Hostel on our most recent trip to the UK. We were initially going to try the "Odd Bar" because we had a coupon, but upon passing the Cane and Grain we decided to head in and check it out. Firstly, the interior is very dark, but not overwhelmingly so; there is a sort of 'American nostalgia' ambiance that permeates the place. The first and second floor bars were expansive, and offered a large selection of quality ales, beers, stouts, and cocktails able to satisfy anyone's palate. The place was bustling (perhaps just because it was their launch week) but not too loud to the point of irritation. The first floor seating was more bar/ party oriented while the top floor was much more accommodating for regular patrons/diners. We appreciated the variety in decor/space functionality. The food: I tried the orange chipotle short ribs and they were incredible. My friend tried the Memphis style ribs and agreed that they were excellent as well. "Fall off the bone" is an understatement; the meat was so tender that it was actually at some times easier to eat with a fork as the meat parted with the bone very easily. The flavor was on point and I didn't feel underwhelmed by the portion as well. The accompanying fries were crispy and well seasoned, rounding out the meal nicely. If you're in Manchester, England anytime soon then definitely give them a try! The servers/bartenders are very friendly, the food is delicious, and the overall experience is exceptional. read more

My friends and I came to this place with somewhat high hopes, but thought it was a bit of a dump - I'm far from a snob and can enjoy a good dive as much as anyone, but this place wasn't just divey, it was seedy and dirty, service was not very friendly at all, and to top it off I thought drink prices were a bit much for the kind of place it is. We only stuck around for one round of drinks, so maybe we didn't give it enough a chance but why would we/how oculd we, it was no fun at all - maybe it is just not a place for tourists, as there were a couple of cliques of what I assumed were locals who seemed to be having a good time. read more

Rude and a waste of time. Slow to moderately busy. Waited 10-15 minutes for menus. 15 minutes after ordering drinks & food - no drinks. Yet everyone that walked in after us, table or at the bar, was promptly served. American hospitality obviously not offered at this "American" bar. Never again. Will not recommend to anyone ever. read more

Tried this on opening night and, at 7pm they had run out of ribs. A rib joint that has no ribs! Anyway, it was opening night, so we made allowances and gave it another go last night. The beer selection is good and bar staff are friendly. The food isn't bad. Not memorable but not bad. Best of the bunch was baby backs with hot sauce, which is an option that is not on the menu. But if you are a ribs fan then there are so many better ribs places in Manchester. Hopefully this will improve in time. The big problem with this place is the service. All image, no substance. They have employed a bunch of inexperienced young waitresses and clearly spent no time whatsoever training them. Like other reviewers, each time we wanted a drink we ended up giving up and going to the bar, rather than wait any longer for service, we couldn't get a bill for love nor money and heaven forbid you need more napkins. Thankfully the incompetence extended to missing half the items of our bill! So overall, ok food, poor service and I suspect without change it won't see its 1st birthday. Won't be back. read more