TL;DR - Good food, reasonably priced but a slightly weird location…read more We came here for Sunday lunch as a belated birthday meal. We'd always known the restaurant was here, but since we don't gamble we'd never set foot inside before. It's somewhat strange, having to walk through the casino to reach the restaurant and I must say I didn't find the experience especially pleasant - but maybe that's just me not liking gambling. Once in the restaurant it's a different story, with some lovely exposed brickwork for the old building. Service was excellent and the food we had was delicious - I had salmon, followed by the roast beef and the bread and butter pudding. I've got to say though, I had food envy when I saw the sticky toffee pudding and wished I had ordered that instead! Prices are reasonable and the food is good - but I just didn't like the fact it was inside the casino.

I have been here a few times, including in the first week of opening and am a big fan. My mum is…read morevisiting this weekend and took her there tonight so am writing the review based on tonight. The star rating is based on my overall experience over the several times I have been. So, tonight, we arrived and had a drink in the Vega Lounge, I went for the Hendricks Honeyapple (I have a current obsession for cocktails with gin) and it was lush. Mum had the Zinfandel Rose and said it was good. Went up for dinner and were shown to our table, which was by the window so had a good view. After taking our order they brought some sourdough bread and homemade butter and was lush. My starter was the Goosnargh hens egg. I've had this before so knew what to expect. It was very nice and would be good if you're a veggie. My mum had the whiskey cured salmon and was very impressed. I took photos if the starters and will upload after this review. For main, mum had the sirloin steak which came with onion rings and chips. Mum really enjoyed it. I had the sea bream which cane with quinoa and rhubarb and was ginger flavoured. Part of the reason I ordered this was because I was unsure about the combination of fish and rhubarb, but it worked really well. I forgot to take photos, sorry. The dessert was the highlight. We shared as we were feeling full. I've had this choice before but being mum's first visit, I ordered this as I knew she would love it. What am I talking about? The white chocolate and whiskey croissant pudding with single malt ice cream. It is LUSH. Highly recommend. Mum loved it and wished that we hadn't shared. I wish the ice cream was available on its own as for me that is pretty damn epic - ice cream and whiskey together, what's not to love?!?! I actually remembered to take a picture so will post. The service was impeccable, friendly waiting staff and perfect food. This is standard for me in my experience of this place and tonight was no exception. Highly recommend it.

Went here right after coming to Manchester from New York and we were blown away. The service was…read morefast and really polite, the food was cooked perfect and delicious, I really enjoyed this palace of a palate. I got the amazing Miso Mushroom Steak Ramen it was great and I really enjoyed the eggs and steak especially, warm and cozy making me feel home away from home. My dad also got one but with tofu he says he wishes he got the steak ramen I got which was probably better so I'd chose that unless you're vegan or allergic of course! My brother had a delicious margarita pizza which was amazing I had a slice and I loved it very saucy and doughy, not hard crust, if you don't like soft crust you may not like that much. I also got a custom drink which was a Fanta they made for me which was fine. Overall great atmosphere, experience, and eats. If you're in the area in Manchester you must stop by there! Whether you sit in or outside the restaurant there's beautiful views along the bay, great time for all, cheers!

Went early on Friday night for dinner. Nice walk along the canal even in the rain. Seated right…read moreaway as walk-in at 1830. Advised we could have a table for 2 until 2000. DJ played a great variety of music. Music was not too loud to hold a conversation at the table. Beautiful decorations through out the place. Service was great and fast. Very attentive waitress. Food was hot and flavorful. Good selection on menu, something for everyone. Seating outside looked comfortable. The deck is covered. There were heaters outside. Overall a great experience in a chilly, rainy night.

Magical? Chemical?…read more The alchemist is not only a nice surrounding to sit in but the service and food are great and delicious. When we checked in and were asked if there were any allergies we made jokes about my husband's allergy to cinnamon - that we would not need to worry about out it before desert. We ordered a few items from the menu - which is a very delicious mix of classics with some twists (tempura fried fish and chips for example). Order was taken and a couple minutes later the manager came and said "I am sorry - but the sauce to the fish contains a bit of cinnamon" wow! We change the order of course and the manager came back to the table asking if we would be worried about cross termination. We have been not and everything went well after that. Great service. The food itself plays with the alchemist theme for example the chorizo meatballs come with a syringe to inject your own amount of cheese (what you think? Yes of course o injected the whole Syringe into the little delicious meatball duhh). The menu consist of a lot of small items which makes me so happy since I can have so many bites of different things and at the alchemist they are all worth it! And of course classics like burger, salads and sandwiches alongside their mains. The menu is not too big but literally has something for everyone. You have to try the crispy pork skins! After we had been told that the crispy fish contains cinnamon my husband learned they offer their "chicken in a basket" as a vegetarian version as well and that is what he got. Damn that is so good: A bed of chips (fries for our American friends) are surrounded by one of the best coleslaw I had in a long time (almost as good as Guy Fieri's if not even better) then slightly pan seared onions and peppers layer on top of the fries. Ready to be mixed in. Then of course a generous amount of chicken or in this case plant based chicken smothered in a sweet chili sauce. Not to forgot to mention that it came with an extra little bowl of dipping sauce. Delicious! We also had a mocktail which name I might not be allowed to recite here let's named it "virgin adult film star" what a perfect combination of fruit, creme and sweetness. Yummmmmm To end the night I had coffee and Choclate - any serving of coffee comes with a set of three pralines. What a way to end the night at the alchemist. Great atmosphere perfect service and delicious food and drinks.

The Alchemist is a really trendy restaurant and bar in Spinningfields. They have a lot of variety…read moreon the menu, the fusion of Asian and western cuisine is really nice. The interior is lovely, seems like a great place for evening drinks with a full bar. I came for lunch and enjoyed the food. Service was efficient and prices are reasonable. Overall a chic and trendy place for food and drink in Spinningfields.

Great classic pub. Delicious beers and good looking food. Back patio had lovely seating for when…read morethe small pub area fills up. Staff handled the crowd very well. I would highly recommend.

Proper English pub. Loved it. Beer was cold and ambiance was on point. Will be back. Loved it and…read morecan't say enough great things about this place. The bartender was so sweet too.

Pies are amazing. Staffs are very friendly and polite. Very reasonable pricing considering it is…read morelocated in the heart of Manchester and next to all major pubs and bars. Lunch time deals are fab. Delicious. Nice music playing all day .

Best pie around. Right in northern quarter so there is plenty around. They have table service, but,…read morewe ordered at the counter they have for takeaway before realizing. The standard steak and ale pie was great. Served with gravy for a great compliment. The outside was flaky while still being bready. The inside is piping hot and exactly what you want from comfort food. The Moolin Rouge outdid the steak and ale pie by a mile. The flavor from the broth was so delicious. Come in and enjoy with a cocktail or draught beer for best consumption.

Absolutely fabulous. Food are of very high quality and standard. Busy but not too overwhelming or…read morecrowded. Music level was just right for dinning. Atmosphere was very good for all ages. Good selection of food and drinks. Prices are reasonable. Services are good.

We had a large party but our server was affable and knowledgeable and handled our demands…read moreskillfully and with humor. The food was fantastic - Malay curry, savory duck, a varied and wonderful menu -- and a whole vegetarian menu is offered as well. The basil and pine nut pizza was luscious and so very very fresh. Really enjoyed and recommend!

Situated on Deansgate itself, The Deansgate is an old traditional bar with a nice interior and…read morefriendly staff. Its nothing special, and whilst is it better than the melancholy induced by a trip to the nearby Atlas Bar, its popularity is probably sapped by The Knott across the road, which is a far more exciting establishment. It serves the usual bog standard drinks, Fosters and Chardonnay, though it does have a few decent ales, but nothing really worth specifically going for. It doesn't show sport, live music or anything really, its just a normal pub. Having said that, it has a nice character and its usually not too busy, unlike the other pubs on Deansgate, which are mostly chain-run and either crowded, grim, or expensive. It's a pleasant place to sit and read the paper, or just stop for a quick one.

My office booked the events room of The Deansgate for our Christmas drinks, and by god did they rip…read moreus off royally. I know it's the season for dubious value, but they took the piss - to be blunt. Our, quite pricey, 'Christmas buffet' appeared to be mostly oven cooked food you'd pick up at Costco, but the drinks were the worst of it. I don't know whether they'd up the prices for our event, but I'd have felt stung paying £8 for a double spirit in central London. Of course they had very loud music on too, just to make sure we couldn't have lengthy conversations with each other. There are far nicer, far cheaper, places in the City Centre. I don't know if this was just a bad night for them. But one thing I do know: I'll never go back.

the whole vibe and atmosphere was excellent. Fish and chips was fresh and tasty, and everybody was…read morefriendly 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.

Great food. My wife and I had fish and chips and they were delic! I would recommend The Old…read moreWellington to all and sundry as a top restaurant.

Cocktails: 1987 bourbon whiskey cocktail came in a little jar filled with ice so when you pour it…read moreinto the glass it's still v chilled. Groovy! My lemon & ginger vodka/yuzu concoction was delightfully refreshing, would return just for that. Incidentally there's also a massive gin menu. Food and wine: We took advantage of the January 2 for 1 tasting menu deal which is great value for 7 courses, although the 5 course tasting menu is worth a look even at full price because I think it works out close to a 3 course a la carte meal. - First course was a lovely butternut squash and goat's cheese amuse bouche - evocative of classic Bologna stuffed pasta fillings. Unusual rose vino verde was not the stereotypically sweet rose, not a particularly memorable wine though. - Second course was a celeriac and truffle soup. This came out very hot so I was just staring at it for ages. It smelled amazing but oddly didn't taste of much for me. Probably my least favourite dish although I think this is the one that came with a Hungarian white wine that was absolutely wonderful - Third course was beef short rib cottage pie! The short rib was absolutely delicious, the potato didn't really have much flavour. Served with a really delightful Malbec (I think! Slightly forgetting the order here...) - Fourth course: stone bass (never heard of this fish before) with various interesting sweetish accompaniments e.g. nuts. This course was delayed behind it's pairing wine so long that I'd actually finished the wine before it arrived! Also it was a little cold so perhaps it had been forgotten for a bit. However the taste was still pretty good, the texture of the fish was quite firm which I liked. Thought it was a bit strange to switch to fish and white wine after the previous dish, but I suppose beef followed by duck might seem too heavy. - Fifth course - duck - very well cooked with a great rich flavour, one of my favourite courses. I believe this came with a southern Italian wine made using the passito method. - Sixth course was a little lemon sort of mini magnum. Yum! - Seventh course was a take on tiramisu that was also great (sorry am losing energy here, but you get the idea. I'm normally not as keen on desserts but I thought these two final courses balanced each other really well and carried through the standard of some of the best earlier courses). Décor: boyfriend liked it, I thought it was quite boring and not very attractive. However it definitely is not stuffy or intimidating, which is nice Music: classic rock! Bf spotted many of his faves e.g. AC/DC, Ozzy Osborne. A great feature of the restaurant Service: generally good and very friendly although timings of one of the courses seemed off as mentioned above. Also we were abandoned a bit at the end, my pet peeve. Overall: might not pay full price for the 7 course tasting menu as the food wasn't outstanding across the board, but would definitely consider the 5 course tasting menu and the very reasonably priced pre theatre menus are a no-brainer. A great addition to Manchester's dining scene, especially as it caters to so many different occasions/budgets and both the cocktail and food menus are interesting and different to other options. I will definitely return!

TL;DR - One of the best meals of my life…read more We came here for Sparky's birthday dinner. Make sure you book ahead because it gets busy, and if you've got a reservation and are running late they'll only hold the table for 15 minutes. We arrived and were seated in the bar area and ordered a couple of gin & tonics, but were then whisked away to our table before the drinks arrived. The barman tracked us down though and served them up whilst we perused the menu. The way the food is described on the menu is minimal to say the least, but rest assured - it's all fantastic. For starters, I had the mushroom raviolo (essentially a single large piece of ravioli, served in a mushroom broth) and Sparky had the pork belly - his eyes rolled back in his head as he ate it and he said it was as soft as butter! For our mains, I had venison and Sparky had duck. We both got decent sized but not huge portions. Each dish comes with a few bits and bobs (mine and some cavolo nero, blackberries and a little bit of a mash) but you're going to want to order some sides to go with it - we went for creamed potatoes, cabbage and bacon, and roasted root vegetables. EVERYTHING was sublime... this was truly some of the best food I've ever eaten in my life. Our waitress was fab too, explaining all the different flavours and what we were enjoying. Desert and Mark ordered a baked tart which noted on the menu it could take 20 minutes to cook, I went for a chocolate/coffee/salted caramel dessert. After 20 minutes there was no sign of dessert but our waitress came over and gave a very plausible apology - there had been a rush on souffles, and they couldn't open the oven or they would sink... so that had delayed getting Mark's dessert in to cook. Our reward for our patience was a round of drinks on the house so we didn't complain - and our dessert was only about 5 minutes late anyway! Oh yes - I forgot to mention, we ordered some red wine (primitivo) with our meal and it was fab. I can't really praise this place enough. The food is just fantastic. Sure, it's not cheap (three course dinner for 2 from the a la carte menu plus drinks came in at about £140), but there are cheaper set menus available at certain times - the key is to book ahead. This place is really special, with amazing food and great service. I just can't fault it.

Such a beautiful place. Inside is decorative, service was awesome as well…read more We came here for lunch, and it did not disappoint. The drinks, service and food were delish. We tried several different dishes like the Buttermilk-fried chicken, sourdough bread, mash potatoes, french fries, baked broccoli and Slow-cooked beef cheek. My favorite was the buttermilk fried chicken. Definitely can't go wrong with that. All of it was delish. So much flavor and good size to share with 3 people. We also got Sticky toffee pudding for dessert. So yummy! Definitely give it a shot.

We had SUCH fond memories of this place from a few years ago when we gave it a stellar 5 star…read morereview. This time it simply disappointed in almost every way. The service was OK, the food offerings just not enticing at all (we ended up with Caesar salads as the main, and stopped to buy some food at a Sainsbury's local and take it back to our hotel room. The cost of cocktails and mocktails was absurd. Mrs G got a mocktail that was totally tasteless for £9.50. I had a margarita that tasted good but the glass was 80% filled with the biggest block of ice that I have ever seen - for £14.50!!!! Advice - stick with beer or wine and don't even consider cocktails!!! The place is still attractive but the fact that it was virtually empty on a Friday evening at 7-8pm is maybe explained by all the foregoing??