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If you like meat, you will certainly like Reds! This place is always always always busy (and they don't accept bookings over the phone) so don't be surprised if you have to wait for a table - I promise it will be worth it! As you enter reds, the smell of fire and flamed meat fills your nostrils which coincides with the funky industrial feel of the restaurant! We ordered a meat platter (for 4 people) which arrived in a dustbin lid! A selection of beef brisket, dry ribs, wet ribs, spicy sausages, onion rings and so much more - this could easily have served 6! All cooked to perfection and deliciously tender! Only reason Ive not given 5 stars due to them seating 6 people at a booth made for 4! We were very cramped and little elbow room! So what are you waiting for?
And lo, into a balmy April night (yes I'm a bit behind....bear with me) eight souls were sent in search of salvation. For as it was foretold in the ancient hallowed writings of the Nomnomnicon, "a sanctuary will appear in the west, in a place known by the people as Mancunia, and within that sacred city will be many a delight for the senses to behold. Whilst false prophets will proclaim that their establishments are the pinnacle of excellence and many people willst be fooled and tempted within their walls and thus be lost, the wisest and most patient amongst you will experience a time when the magnificence of the revelations shall be revealed. This time is upon us now." True believers, i implore you to put down those dirty burgers and overstuffed dogs (for just one night), step away from the unusual pizza toppings and trendy tapas, say adios amigo to the chimichangas and come forward to be counted. Stride into the holiest of holies and prostrate yourself before the pit. Proclaim in your loudest voice " I want to eat BBQ, bring forth the meat! " And so as it was promised, shall it be done. The smokey BBQ aromas assault your nostrils like a Bisto trail, your mouth instantly waters and all you can think of is meat. Then you see the menu, a Biblical tome of carnivorous treats. You want to try everything and secretly hope that your dinner companions order a selection of goodies so you can steal a taste! on this visit I was seduced by the donut burger. Described on the menu as two house-made 100% steak burgers flame grilled over hickory, melted double cheese, smoked peppered bacon dirty sauce and deep fried crispy onions, all between two sweet glazed donuts. Served with hush puppies and skin-on fries. It shouldn't work, but sweet Red above, it's incredible. And it is. Words cannot describe the combination of sugary doughiness and meaty heaven. You have to try it. Just for the melty glaze dripping over your hand.... Most of what needs to be said has been covered in the previous reviews, so I will leave you with a single thought...MEAT!
My favourite place to go for a steak, EVER! I've been here twice, and chosen the steak each time! I don't think I will ever be able to part with the steak while I'm there.. It's to die for! I can't really comment on the wait as the first time I went, we were straight to a table and the last time we were there, we had to wander round town for 2 and a half hours.. But definitely worth the wait! The cocktails here are amazing too! I couldn't tell you the name of the one I tried as it was hard enough trying to ask for it at the bar but we all chose a different one and they all tasted great! The ribs are great here too! I have the ribs as a started with the BBQ pit beans which are amazing! And if you can't finish everything, get a doggy bag and take it home for your dogs, they will love you forever!! We parked over by the GMEX and walked over but I'm sure if you arrived early enough you could find parking in the city centre somewhere on a side street. Enjoy!
If Man v Food and Diners,Drive ins and Dives has taught us anything,it is this.......meat. I should just end it there with the word 'meat' because lets face it,life begins and ends with meat and meat based products,unless you're a veggie of course,but a review ending with the word 'pulses' would seem like a massive anti-climax. Red's does meat,lots of meat,and from what I tasted last night they do it pretty damn well too! I've never had proper American bbq actually in America,(I was too busy eating burgers and pizza) but I get the impression that Red's is as close as we're going to get round these parts. I had a double beef long rib,a portion of skin on fries and 2 giant onion rings,and all of it was superb. The meat came off the bone with ease,leaving me with 2 lovely chunks of beef coated in the flavoursome rub. I have to admit to being not the biggest fan of bbq sauce,primarily because I have an aversion to vinegar,but the Kansas sauce provided on the table (along with 4 others) was really,really nice! The 8 of us round the table attacked our food like a scene from Breakfast at the Manchester Morgue (filmed in Cumbria trivia buffs) and apart from a few bones ,the trays were left pretty well empty,and that is exactly as it should be! Meat.........
I visited here on a busy Saturday afternoon. I assumed as there were only 2 of us and it being an afternoon a reservation wouldn't be neccessary - how wrong was I! There was an hours wait for a table. We had set on coming here so we decided to book in for an hours time and come back. If you give them your phone number they will give you a ring back if they have a table before your slot though. We arrived back about 50 minutes later and our table was ready - the lady on the reception was actually making a phone call to me unknowlingly whilst I was stood in front...quite funny at the time actually. We were seated on a decent window overlooking the road which was nice. We were promptly asked by a waiter what drinks we would like. They were served up within about 10 minutes although I had to enquire where the 2nd was...not a mjaor issue and was quickly resolved. We placed our order and decided on the pulled pork and brisket. We shared sides of - slaw, chips, onion rings & corn bread. The portions don't look massive when they arrive but believe me they are massive and are very filling. Everything was excellent, my favourite being the brisket and the slaw...Prices are typical city centre so pretty good value. The pulled pork is about £11 and the brisket about £14... We were that full after our meals we decided against dessert but they did sound appetizing. The beer selection is extensive and its nice that on the menu they pair each meal with a different beer. When I was paying I struck up a conversation with whom I assume is the manager and asked him a few questions about the process (I'm an avid meat smoker at home)..He was kind enough to give us a brief tour of the kitchens and smokers they have in the back...all I can say is I am pretty jelous! The smells were amazing... An excellent experience and will definately be back when I need a meat fix whilst in the city!
Holy Chicken Pig Cow! If you can decide what you want to eat on this menu, then you are clearly not interested in meat.... OR you can't decide because everything looks so good. Your choice will be Combo 2. I will explain why now. Don't order starters if you want to enjoy this without exploding. 1) Your main meal will arrive on a tray. A tray! 2) The rack of ribs will be bigger than your head! 3) The wings will be the LENGTH of the tray! 4) The ribs have a very THICK layer of meat on the top part of the ribs bones. 5) ...... I'm sorry I've gone to salivate over my memories. 6) Get a side of pit beans - you will not regret the BBQ'd beans with pulled pork... After hearing through the grapevine about this place and then slowly appearing on social networking and yelp reviews, I decided it was time to visit. Now, this wasn't the most amazing meal I've ever had, no, BUT it was very yummy, the meat was good and the size for the money was great. The service at the tables is great and the waiter serving us checked on us regularly and joked with us too. He even recommended sides based on what was my favourite sauce. The reason I haven't rated this place 5*'s is for the following two reasons; 1) The girl at the front desk. She was stressed out with the people queueing up and badgering her and quite rude to a few people in front of us. She gave us a waiting time of 30 minutes and then brushed us off. They should really have a second person to either help or switch around every so often to refresh each person. This place is very very busy. 6pm seems a good time to get there, or just before. 2) I was SLIGHTLY underwhelmed by the taste of the ribs. From the hype built up around it, I was expecting mouth explosions from the ribs but it didn't happen. Don't get me wrong, it was tasty but not to the point I was expecting from the reviews.
A really cool burger joint in Manchester City Centre which is right by the Town Hall It has a great fun atmosphere, Loved the decor and all the American tunes being played! They have a great menu of all things American, from juicy ribs to sloppy burgers, their prices seem great for this burger joint as well and not as pricey as id thought, I had the reds classic bacon cheeseburger with sweet potato fries, it was really nice though, but prefer the Almost Famous burgers better ,I really wish they would give you bigger portions like they give you in States though! There was loads of drinks available with a few on Draft, but a bit on the pricey side. The service was a little slow at times and some of the waitress looked a bit grumpy but all in all a great experience and can't wait to go back!
It makes me really sad to have to knock Red's down a star based on my recent brunch experience, so I'll start my review with this - I'll definitely be back for the meat. With a friend heading back to London after her Christmas up north, we thought Red's would be a great brunch treat, especially as it's available from 9am and we were a) worried about finding somewhere open early enough for the meal to be relaxing and b) worried about finding somewhere with space i.e. not Home Sweet Home. We met at about 10.15 and the place was empty. Service, however, was spot on as we arrived and simply told to choose wherever we wanted to sit. Menus arrived promptly and our drink order taken while we decided what to order. I opted for the hot iron waffles with maple syrup, cream, strawberries & blueberries - unfortunately they had run out of the salmon my friend wanted, so she went for the huevos rancheros instead. Food arrived in a normal time (reassuring that they weren't rushing, with us being the only people there) and look nice and fresh. My waffles were tasty, though hugely sugary and sadly a bit chewy on the edges, presumably slightly overcooked. A bit more cream would have helped soften them up, but the fruit did a good job without this option. A few more tables became occupied as we ate and relaxed, but then we were suddenly invisible to the staff; it took what felt like forever, circa 20-30 minutes, to get someone to bring us a bill, and there was no offer of more drinks, despite having a tea which is supposed to be free refills. This was the first time I've experienced really poor service here, so they can have three stars as I know what they're really capable of. But, as I say, I'll be back for lunch and dinner, but maybe leave brunch for a while.
I hate to say it but I was far from impressed. When we walked in the restaurant was full of BBQ smoke. And it stayed that way. So if you eat here before an event or something be prepared to smell like BBQ all night. I did not understand why their was not a ventilation system of some type. This restaurant goes the an industrial look ie pieces of fence and pipe etc. Believe it or not on a Wends evening they were out of beef brisket! I could not believe it. And the restaurant was half full. The BBQ tips I got instead was just ok. A little fatty. And the service was spotty. It was not terrible but I would not go out of my way to eat here.
We were lucky to win a table at the soft opening night at Reds, a Leeds institution that has blessed Manchester with it's presence. We had tried several times to get a table at the Leeds branch only to find 2/3 hour waits and had to go elsewhere so we were very excited when we heard they had taken over the old Livebait site near the town hall. The menu is very Man vs Food in style with meat, meat and more meat. Perhaps not a place to take vegetarian friends! They have spent a lot of money installing a kitchen that produces some of the best meat we've eaten. We had a burger, ribs, sausage and chicken amongst us and everyone was happy with the results. Bearing in mind this was a soft opening there is room for improvement but I'm sure this will be resolved (drinks brought out wrong or not at all, my cocktail was tasteless etc). Can't wait to get back and try some more of the menu on a yelp night soon!
Ever since I'd eaten at their Leeds restaurant (see review http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/reds-true-barbecue-leeds) and had a great meal there I was really looking forward to going again to their new(ish) Manchester joint. A group of eight of us visited on a Tuesday evening and it was busy (we'd booked a table - advise you do the same if you're eight or more). The main area was really bustling but we were shown through to the much quieter back room, though it didn't stay quiet for long. It was a fairly tight squeeze for us round the table, but we just wanted to get ordering so grinned and beared it. After agonising over what to order I decided on Combo #1 (Baby Backs and BBQ Chicken for £16.95). It came with a choice of sides so I had to go for the BBQ Pit Beans as I'd had them at the Friday Food Fight and they were out of this world. Once the food started to arrive I was getting serious food and drink envy - from the Mississippi Mud Brownie Malt to 'The Donut Burger'. The ribs I ordered were very good though I was disappointed with the chicken as all the BBQ flavouring was in the skin, otherwise it was just normal chicken - I had to smother it in Judas Ketchup. I think if I'd gone with my initial choice of Combo #5 (Texas Beef Brisket and North Carolina Pulled Pork) I'd be scoring the food better. I will go back to Red's, but next time choose my meal more wisely.
Went here other week with fellow Yelpers. Been meaning to come here ever since it opened. I like pulled pork (who doesn't) and baby back ribs. Although I like pulled pork, I decided to go for the Baby back ribs and BBQ chicken combo. Heard that the pulled pork can be too "sauce-y". I also was in the mood for some chicken. To go with the main I had the fries and giant onion rings. I also had a cocktail called Hickory Daiquiri Cox. It was rum, lime, home made spice syrup with pressed apple juice and smoked in Hickory. You can see it in one of photos I uploaded. Thats smoke in the jar. Tasted lovely with a smoky smell. Anyway, back to the main dish. The baby back ribs were tasty. Pretty meaty. Unfortunately, the chicken was really dry. I had to add plenty of sauce to eat it! You can also see in photo the different table sauces. Some were really good. Some very hot. There was a really nice BBQ one. The mustard one was interesting. There was a vinegar based one which was quite runny - be careful to not pour too much on as its very vinegar-y. The fries were quite nice but nothing amazing. The onion rings were OK - the banter was kind of like the batter around a fish from the fish and chip shop - different. Didn't really taste the onion. So overall it was all just OK. Someone had the donut burger which you may have read/heard about. Its an interesting mix of sweet with a burger. But she said it worked.
Wow! Meat eat your heart out! I went for the pit burger - steak patties, brisket, pulled pork, streaky bacon, cheese, pickles, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, dirty sauce (!), mustard & BBQ sauce all squished in-between a brioche bun. Chips on the side for good measure. I thought I was going to be defeated immediately. I accepted the challenge and won hands down (chips and all). I think I'm ready to go on Man Vs Food. In our house, a clean plate means you can order a dessert... I chickened out at the last minute but had a spoonful of my friend's chocolate & peanut butter cheesecake - it was amazing. For meat lovers this is an amazing place to go. The only downside is it is incredibly smoky from the moment you walk through the door. The kitchen is semi open plan and there is an awful lot of meat being BBQ'd! I came away with sore eyes, a cough & smokey clothes.. but also a very content belly.. so I can't complain too much!!!
Overall, just okay. Being from the states, maybe I'm a little extra choosy with my BBQ. I ordered the half rack of ribs with 2 XXL wings - wings were over cooked, so one part of the XXL wing was inedible. Barely any sauce. The ribs were decent - definitely not fall off the bone type, but okay tasting. I asked for sweet potato fries, even with an upgrade charge, but alas, the service wasn't the best. So I got the regular fries - which were probably my favorite part of the meal. They were the thinner kind so not the typical "chips" - which I like! The BBQ sauces - 5 choices - I didn't care for any of them. The tangy coleslaw also wasn't a hit with me. $20 or so for the ribs/wings meal & a large Pepsi max. read more
It had been awhile since I'd been here and my boyfriend was a reds true bbq virgin. So on date night we came here in which I was really excited about remembering past memories. Luckily I had booked on a Friday night. As we were walked to our table we were informed that there was no jerky or draft beers (same 5 years ago!) Anyway I chose the luxurious salted caramel and choc shake with rum (£8) which was divine and pawed the menu. They had drastically changed this. There are now more veggie and fish choices. Apart from the starters I didn't find the mains that inspiring. Anyway we decided to share some bbq wings for starters and himself had the brisket burn ends for main while I had the pitmaster for £18. The wings arrived in a tasty sauce and were fairly large. When the mains arrived my heart sank. I had to double check mine..it had the ribs..cheese sausage..meaty beans..and another pot of beans but no pulled pork or crackling ..my boyfriend's was dry brisket on soggy bread with greens..the burnt ends were nice. Anyway he left most of his and to be fair they were really understanding and the manager sat down with us to discuss the food. In the end my boyfriends meal was taken off the bill ans mine halved in price.. the way it was handled didn't leave a bad taste in my mouth and would try it again in the far future. read more
Carnivores start your engines! Well what a great experience that was at Reds last night. I can honestly say that I now know what all the fuss is about after hearing lots of chatter and buzz about the Leeds site and a genuine tidal wave of vocal shouts of "Nice one Manchester" in getting our own Reds! First off the bar and restaurant area is very well done. It somehow keeps the classic architecture that LIvebait showcased but makes it feel funky and futuristic but with just the right twist of industrial meets comfort! I'd best describe it is as a combo of Brewdog Shepherds bush (which is BD turning away from efficiency to more lounging) and a smarter, cooler Meat Liquor. The food was fantastic with myself tucking into the pulled meat nachos - great to see a combo of pulled pork and beef brisket being served (and pretty good value for around £11) with my friends enjoying the half chicken, refried beans with pork and a side of beef ribs that looked like they should be weighing down and tipping over a Flintstones car! As much as I was just diving straight into the beer menu, there did look to be a good amount of variety in the cocktails although my wife said the wine list wasn't much to set the heart racing. The beers were well represented with a good level of craft bottles from Anchor and Brooklyn and 4 taps showcasing Brooklyn pennant, Brooklyn 'core' and a couple of guests on. A welcome addition to the menu were handy, easily readable boxes which paired your meals with the right drink - genius! Scott the owner was an absolute legend and just the sort of guy you want to do well in business. Not only was he welcoming and warm to all of the customers coming in, he was also hands on with making sure the whole restaurant ran smoothly - a real everyman. The "chefs table" abattoir room is a really great idea and should be really popular with BBQ groups wanting to see their food from 'hanger' to mouth! We definitely enjoyed dining in this part of the restaurant and I'd say to always try and request this when booking yourself in! I'm only giving Red's 4 stars this time as there were a few teething issues with the likes of wrong drinks being ordered and quite a few menu items missing but this is why they have soft launches! I'm sure when I return very soon, I'll be hoping it bounces up to a 5 - and I'll be having extra BBQ and Beers with that :-) read more
If you like meat, you will certainly like Reds! This place is always always always busy (and they don't accept bookings over the phone) so don't be surprised if you have to wait for a table - I promise it will be worth it! As you enter reds, the smell of fire and flamed meat fills your nostrils which coincides with the funky industrial feel of the restaurant! We ordered a meat platter (for 4 people) which arrived in a dustbin lid! A selection of beef brisket, dry ribs, wet ribs, spicy sausages, onion rings and so much more - this could easily have served 6! All cooked to perfection and deliciously tender! Only reason Ive not given 5 stars due to them seating 6 people at a booth made for 4! We were very cramped and little elbow room! So what are you waiting for? read more
12 years ago
And lo, into a balmy April night (yes I'm a bit behind....bear with me) eight souls were sent in search of salvation. For as it was foretold in the ancient hallowed writings of the Nomnomnicon, "a sanctuary will appear in the west, in a place known by the people as Mancunia, and within that sacred city will be many a delight for the senses to behold. Whilst false prophets will proclaim that their establishments are the pinnacle of excellence and many people willst be fooled and tempted within their walls and thus be lost, the wisest and most patient amongst you will experience a time when the magnificence of the revelations shall be revealed. This time is upon us now." True believers, i implore you to put down those dirty burgers and overstuffed dogs (for just one night), step away from the unusual pizza toppings and trendy tapas, say adios amigo to the chimichangas and come forward to be counted. Stride into the holiest of holies and prostrate yourself before the pit. Proclaim in your loudest voice " I want to eat BBQ, bring forth the meat! " And so as it was promised, shall it be done. The smokey BBQ aromas assault your nostrils like a Bisto trail, your mouth instantly waters and all you can think of is meat. Then you see the menu, a Biblical tome of carnivorous treats. You want to try everything and secretly hope that your dinner companions order a selection of goodies so you can steal a taste! on this visit I was seduced by the donut burger. Described on the menu as two house-made 100% steak burgers flame grilled over hickory, melted double cheese, smoked peppered bacon dirty sauce and deep fried crispy onions, all between two sweet glazed donuts. Served with hush puppies and skin-on fries. It shouldn't work, but sweet Red above, it's incredible. And it is. Words cannot describe the combination of sugary doughiness and meaty heaven. You have to try it. Just for the melty glaze dripping over your hand.... Most of what needs to be said has been covered in the previous reviews, so I will leave you with a single thought...MEAT! read more
11 years ago
My favourite place to go for a steak, EVER! I've been here twice, and chosen the steak each time! I don't think I will ever be able to part with the steak while I'm there.. It's to die for! I can't really comment on the wait as the first time I went, we were straight to a table and the last time we were there, we had to wander round town for 2 and a half hours.. But definitely worth the wait! The cocktails here are amazing too! I couldn't tell you the name of the one I tried as it was hard enough trying to ask for it at the bar but we all chose a different one and they all tasted great! The ribs are great here too! I have the ribs as a started with the BBQ pit beans which are amazing! And if you can't finish everything, get a doggy bag and take it home for your dogs, they will love you forever!! We parked over by the GMEX and walked over but I'm sure if you arrived early enough you could find parking in the city centre somewhere on a side street. Enjoy! read more
If Man v Food and Diners,Drive ins and Dives has taught us anything,it is this.......meat. I should just end it there with the word 'meat' because lets face it,life begins and ends with meat and meat based products,unless you're a veggie of course,but a review ending with the word 'pulses' would seem like a massive anti-climax. Red's does meat,lots of meat,and from what I tasted last night they do it pretty damn well too! I've never had proper American bbq actually in America,(I was too busy eating burgers and pizza) but I get the impression that Red's is as close as we're going to get round these parts. I had a double beef long rib,a portion of skin on fries and 2 giant onion rings,and all of it was superb. The meat came off the bone with ease,leaving me with 2 lovely chunks of beef coated in the flavoursome rub. I have to admit to being not the biggest fan of bbq sauce,primarily because I have an aversion to vinegar,but the Kansas sauce provided on the table (along with 4 others) was really,really nice! The 8 of us round the table attacked our food like a scene from Breakfast at the Manchester Morgue (filmed in Cumbria trivia buffs) and apart from a few bones ,the trays were left pretty well empty,and that is exactly as it should be! Meat......... read more
I visited here on a busy Saturday afternoon. I assumed as there were only 2 of us and it being an afternoon a reservation wouldn't be neccessary - how wrong was I! There was an hours wait for a table. We had set on coming here so we decided to book in for an hours time and come back. If you give them your phone number they will give you a ring back if they have a table before your slot though. We arrived back about 50 minutes later and our table was ready - the lady on the reception was actually making a phone call to me unknowlingly whilst I was stood in front...quite funny at the time actually. We were seated on a decent window overlooking the road which was nice. We were promptly asked by a waiter what drinks we would like. They were served up within about 10 minutes although I had to enquire where the 2nd was...not a mjaor issue and was quickly resolved. We placed our order and decided on the pulled pork and brisket. We shared sides of - slaw, chips, onion rings & corn bread. The portions don't look massive when they arrive but believe me they are massive and are very filling. Everything was excellent, my favourite being the brisket and the slaw...Prices are typical city centre so pretty good value. The pulled pork is about £11 and the brisket about £14... We were that full after our meals we decided against dessert but they did sound appetizing. The beer selection is extensive and its nice that on the menu they pair each meal with a different beer. When I was paying I struck up a conversation with whom I assume is the manager and asked him a few questions about the process (I'm an avid meat smoker at home)..He was kind enough to give us a brief tour of the kitchens and smokers they have in the back...all I can say is I am pretty jelous! The smells were amazing... An excellent experience and will definately be back when I need a meat fix whilst in the city! read more
Holy Chicken Pig Cow! If you can decide what you want to eat on this menu, then you are clearly not interested in meat.... OR you can't decide because everything looks so good. Your choice will be Combo 2. I will explain why now. Don't order starters if you want to enjoy this without exploding. 1) Your main meal will arrive on a tray. A tray! 2) The rack of ribs will be bigger than your head! 3) The wings will be the LENGTH of the tray! 4) The ribs have a very THICK layer of meat on the top part of the ribs bones. 5) ...... I'm sorry I've gone to salivate over my memories. 6) Get a side of pit beans - you will not regret the BBQ'd beans with pulled pork... After hearing through the grapevine about this place and then slowly appearing on social networking and yelp reviews, I decided it was time to visit. Now, this wasn't the most amazing meal I've ever had, no, BUT it was very yummy, the meat was good and the size for the money was great. The service at the tables is great and the waiter serving us checked on us regularly and joked with us too. He even recommended sides based on what was my favourite sauce. The reason I haven't rated this place 5*'s is for the following two reasons; 1) The girl at the front desk. She was stressed out with the people queueing up and badgering her and quite rude to a few people in front of us. She gave us a waiting time of 30 minutes and then brushed us off. They should really have a second person to either help or switch around every so often to refresh each person. This place is very very busy. 6pm seems a good time to get there, or just before. 2) I was SLIGHTLY underwhelmed by the taste of the ribs. From the hype built up around it, I was expecting mouth explosions from the ribs but it didn't happen. Don't get me wrong, it was tasty but not to the point I was expecting from the reviews. read more
A really cool burger joint in Manchester City Centre which is right by the Town Hall It has a great fun atmosphere, Loved the decor and all the American tunes being played! They have a great menu of all things American, from juicy ribs to sloppy burgers, their prices seem great for this burger joint as well and not as pricey as id thought, I had the reds classic bacon cheeseburger with sweet potato fries, it was really nice though, but prefer the Almost Famous burgers better ,I really wish they would give you bigger portions like they give you in States though! There was loads of drinks available with a few on Draft, but a bit on the pricey side. The service was a little slow at times and some of the waitress looked a bit grumpy but all in all a great experience and can't wait to go back! read more
12 years ago
It makes me really sad to have to knock Red's down a star based on my recent brunch experience, so I'll start my review with this - I'll definitely be back for the meat. With a friend heading back to London after her Christmas up north, we thought Red's would be a great brunch treat, especially as it's available from 9am and we were a) worried about finding somewhere open early enough for the meal to be relaxing and b) worried about finding somewhere with space i.e. not Home Sweet Home. We met at about 10.15 and the place was empty. Service, however, was spot on as we arrived and simply told to choose wherever we wanted to sit. Menus arrived promptly and our drink order taken while we decided what to order. I opted for the hot iron waffles with maple syrup, cream, strawberries & blueberries - unfortunately they had run out of the salmon my friend wanted, so she went for the huevos rancheros instead. Food arrived in a normal time (reassuring that they weren't rushing, with us being the only people there) and look nice and fresh. My waffles were tasty, though hugely sugary and sadly a bit chewy on the edges, presumably slightly overcooked. A bit more cream would have helped soften them up, but the fruit did a good job without this option. A few more tables became occupied as we ate and relaxed, but then we were suddenly invisible to the staff; it took what felt like forever, circa 20-30 minutes, to get someone to bring us a bill, and there was no offer of more drinks, despite having a tea which is supposed to be free refills. This was the first time I've experienced really poor service here, so they can have three stars as I know what they're really capable of. But, as I say, I'll be back for lunch and dinner, but maybe leave brunch for a while. read more
I hate to say it but I was far from impressed. When we walked in the restaurant was full of BBQ smoke. And it stayed that way. So if you eat here before an event or something be prepared to smell like BBQ all night. I did not understand why their was not a ventilation system of some type. This restaurant goes the an industrial look ie pieces of fence and pipe etc. Believe it or not on a Wends evening they were out of beef brisket! I could not believe it. And the restaurant was half full. The BBQ tips I got instead was just ok. A little fatty. And the service was spotty. It was not terrible but I would not go out of my way to eat here. read more
We were lucky to win a table at the soft opening night at Reds, a Leeds institution that has blessed Manchester with it's presence. We had tried several times to get a table at the Leeds branch only to find 2/3 hour waits and had to go elsewhere so we were very excited when we heard they had taken over the old Livebait site near the town hall. The menu is very Man vs Food in style with meat, meat and more meat. Perhaps not a place to take vegetarian friends! They have spent a lot of money installing a kitchen that produces some of the best meat we've eaten. We had a burger, ribs, sausage and chicken amongst us and everyone was happy with the results. Bearing in mind this was a soft opening there is room for improvement but I'm sure this will be resolved (drinks brought out wrong or not at all, my cocktail was tasteless etc). Can't wait to get back and try some more of the menu on a yelp night soon! read more
12 years ago
Ever since I'd eaten at their Leeds restaurant (see review http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/reds-true-barbecue-leeds) and had a great meal there I was really looking forward to going again to their new(ish) Manchester joint. A group of eight of us visited on a Tuesday evening and it was busy (we'd booked a table - advise you do the same if you're eight or more). The main area was really bustling but we were shown through to the much quieter back room, though it didn't stay quiet for long. It was a fairly tight squeeze for us round the table, but we just wanted to get ordering so grinned and beared it. After agonising over what to order I decided on Combo #1 (Baby Backs and BBQ Chicken for £16.95). It came with a choice of sides so I had to go for the BBQ Pit Beans as I'd had them at the Friday Food Fight and they were out of this world. Once the food started to arrive I was getting serious food and drink envy - from the Mississippi Mud Brownie Malt to 'The Donut Burger'. The ribs I ordered were very good though I was disappointed with the chicken as all the BBQ flavouring was in the skin, otherwise it was just normal chicken - I had to smother it in Judas Ketchup. I think if I'd gone with my initial choice of Combo #5 (Texas Beef Brisket and North Carolina Pulled Pork) I'd be scoring the food better. I will go back to Red's, but next time choose my meal more wisely. read more
Went here other week with fellow Yelpers. Been meaning to come here ever since it opened. I like pulled pork (who doesn't) and baby back ribs. Although I like pulled pork, I decided to go for the Baby back ribs and BBQ chicken combo. Heard that the pulled pork can be too "sauce-y". I also was in the mood for some chicken. To go with the main I had the fries and giant onion rings. I also had a cocktail called Hickory Daiquiri Cox. It was rum, lime, home made spice syrup with pressed apple juice and smoked in Hickory. You can see it in one of photos I uploaded. Thats smoke in the jar. Tasted lovely with a smoky smell. Anyway, back to the main dish. The baby back ribs were tasty. Pretty meaty. Unfortunately, the chicken was really dry. I had to add plenty of sauce to eat it! You can also see in photo the different table sauces. Some were really good. Some very hot. There was a really nice BBQ one. The mustard one was interesting. There was a vinegar based one which was quite runny - be careful to not pour too much on as its very vinegar-y. The fries were quite nice but nothing amazing. The onion rings were OK - the banter was kind of like the batter around a fish from the fish and chip shop - different. Didn't really taste the onion. So overall it was all just OK. Someone had the donut burger which you may have read/heard about. Its an interesting mix of sweet with a burger. But she said it worked. read more
Wow! Meat eat your heart out! I went for the pit burger - steak patties, brisket, pulled pork, streaky bacon, cheese, pickles, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, dirty sauce (!), mustard & BBQ sauce all squished in-between a brioche bun. Chips on the side for good measure. I thought I was going to be defeated immediately. I accepted the challenge and won hands down (chips and all). I think I'm ready to go on Man Vs Food. In our house, a clean plate means you can order a dessert... I chickened out at the last minute but had a spoonful of my friend's chocolate & peanut butter cheesecake - it was amazing. For meat lovers this is an amazing place to go. The only downside is it is incredibly smoky from the moment you walk through the door. The kitchen is semi open plan and there is an awful lot of meat being BBQ'd! I came away with sore eyes, a cough & smokey clothes.. but also a very content belly.. so I can't complain too much!!! read more
11 years ago
"Meat explosion" wow we have been talking about going to this place for a while,...we wish we had visited sooner! Great American inspired bar & restaurant, if your a meat lover this is a great place to go with friends or family. Great for lunch or dinner but You need a big appetite, the portions are generous, and delicious but, I was defeated by the burger I had.... It was a while before I could breathe properally again! It was good quality and service was great. If your a cocktail lover like me you will be pleased they are pritty dam good! The only negative I would say is your food comes to quick and as they are large portions you don't have much time to digest your starter before your main comes. So if you fancy somewhere quirky and button busting to eat. This is the place to try! read more
Absolutely brilliant. Went to celebrate our 5 year anniversary with some meat (no better way to celebrate being in a relationship so long!). We were seated straight away and shared some chicken wings and the rib selection to start. First of all - the ribs, omg the ribs. They are INCREDIBLE ! If you are heading to reds, the ribs are definitely a must! We both then had a pit burger each - brilliantly cooked. Burger, pulled pork, brisket, cheese and bacon on a bun. Be warned. It is massive. Dislocation of your jaw may occur (!). All washed down with some hangover curing house made lemonade. Overall 5/5. I would give it a 6/5 if I could as it was that good ! read more
Just walking past the entrance of this place gives you the meat sweats! A smokey, loud, metallic joint which oozes atmosphere. I opted for the pit burger which didn't disappoint. Steak, burger, bacon and cheese with chips and the odd green leaf. My milkshake didn't wow on par with McDonalds but overall good stuff! read more
WOW - free smells? Yes please yelp!! This place turned me into some kind of crazed meat eater!! Managed to get a seat in here early one evening. Soon as you walk in the smell of pure meat and bbq meat hits you! This isn't a place for your old nan and grandad, it's a place to get messy, to dive deep and not care about all the bbq sauce around your mouth and meat stuck in your teeth!! No matter what you have to eat here its succulent, delicious and leaves you stuffed!! read more
bbq beans. winner chicken wings. winner brisket. average at best. a bit dry but might have just been my luck. fired up fries - disappointing. cheap frozen fries with some spices on it. not worth £3 ever. pitmaster burger - good. but the £1.00 top up onion ring and £1.00 mac n cheese ball is a rip. mac n cheese ball was very dry. service- waitress had a bit of a bewildered look and unhappy when I asked if i could have half lemonade and half iced tea rather than just the ice tea. (same price for both) the menu says they make it fresh each morning but she said its made exactly to the glass so couldn't mix it. I don't believe it for a minute someone measure it out to that extreme. Its lemons and tea bags! She looked completely put out and uninspired to see if they could do it and couldn't understand the request. In the end she brought it, never acknowledged it and the proceeded to spill some of it on my girlfriend. Still she did check on us during the meal. She get a 2.5 for service. Overall its average here. food is ok but not memorable. read more
12 years ago
Holy *%#&! This place never fails to deliver. If it seems a little expensive that's because you are about to eat an entire animal! I think that between 10 of us we ate our way through the entire cast of animal farm. Although the burgers are great I suggest a combo but make sure you don't eat for a few days before hand to give yourself a chance. DELICIOUS!!! read more
11 years ago
This place made me want to squeel in joy. The smokey atmosphere and the aroma of the meat was enticing. The restraunt was well put together with quick service and short wait for the food.the whole theme of the meat palace was a bible of meat. I loved the set out of the menu easy to read and friendly. Also entertaining as hell. I would recommend the pulled pork sandwich with the in the jacket fries and cornbread. The pork and the bun blended together in a magical combination of sweet melty savoury barbecue. Magnificent! I give whole heartedly give this place a 5 star review. LET THERE BE MEAT!!! read more
12 years ago
Delicious! Everybody totally enjoyed the place and the food and the drinks. Just one thing: don't order the sandwich thinking it's a small dish!! As a meat place, try to leave your vegan friend at home to take care of the kids! read more
12 years ago
Great atmosphere, freshly cooked and well looked after. Family meal well within budget, juicy burgers, succulent ribs, pulled pork to bite through rather than chew. All served hot and in good time. read more
11 years ago
Busy place even on a Tuesday night. Top notch ribs and chicken. Good selection of sides. Relaxed vibe. Good times .... read more
Another favourite date night venue! We have ventured here a few times and always really enjoyed it. The menu is packed though and meat lovers are spoilt for choice, I've never tried one of the burgers but I've heard the donut burger is good. I can recommend sharing the bucket of bones if you're real meat lovers. I love the open kitchen so you can see dinner being cooked. Although you will end up smelling a bit like a BBQ when you head home. I don't mind, but probably not best to attend in your best frock! read more
My sister took me here when I went to visit Manchester. This was a mighty fine place with true American style food which seems to be on trend at the moment. Walking through the door you can smell the smoky BBQ flavours coming from the open cooking area full of chefs busying themselves coating meat with BBQ sauce and lots of flame grilled cooking going on. IT has an industrial look about it with rustic wooden tables on different levels and galvanised piping over head on the ceiling. If your a veggie this isn't for you unless you want the greens and a side of home cooked fries, it's a complete meat fest! The burgers looked amazing but too much for me so I ordered the greens & pulled pork with home fries. The flavours are amazing and arrives American style on grease proof paper on a tray. Lots of choice on the menu, great for a get together with friends or family maybe not before clubbing with the portion sizes.. read more
I gained 10 lbs in 6 days. Could I keep all this fat in my belly? YES This spot ensured it. Pig cracklings? YES A bucket of 20+ ribssss...like all different kinds? YES Kona fuckin drafts? MAHALO Right here...in Jolly Ole England? HELL YES I need to take a shower now. I bathed in the bbq sauce, homie. read more
The smell from the grill at the back of the restaurant will hit you as soon as you enter! If you love meat, this is definitely one place you should try out. The menu is quite thorough with lots of choice, lots of ways of cooking lots of meat. On the last occasion we went for a 'light' lunch, so had the donut burger, and the pulled pork. Macaroni cheese always a must for other half whenever she sees it, so that was begrudgingly shared by her.... As with all american type diners, lots of milkshakes to spoil you to, served in a traditional glass milk bottle which makes it all the more cooler than your standard paper carton from a fast food joint. I would highly recommend any of the ribs or wings, and the burgers are amazing!! read more
Been a few times now and the service is constantly great. I can't wait to head back in a large group. It's booking policy is much better than most of the 'dirty meat' places in town. I particularly love the sauces, it kinda adds that Nando's 'do it yourway' vibe to proceedings.... but in the best way. read more
8 years ago
11 years ago
This place has been taunting me each time we have gone to the Registry Office. Today, I decided this is where I was lunching. Of course my errands weren't very close, but I love me some BBQ and a nice walk across the city would help work up my appetite. I didn't realize they do brunch as I scanned the menu before going in. Although, I'm not sure I want the smell of smoky meat mingling with my coffee. Anyway, there was a bit of a queue at the door, mostly because the host seemed a bit clueless. In fact, throughout my visit he just seemed like he was a bit in the way. As I was standing there enjoying the smoky smell (trust me folks, if you have BBQ in the states the smell is 10x as strong), a waiter came over, he greeted me, and asked if it was ok to seat me in his section. Sure! Why not?! As we were walking to the table, we walked by the kitchen are and I could feel the heat... nice. I seem to be slowing down on the alcohol these days, but after seeing my former regular drink, Whiskey Sour, on the menu, I decided I was going to have a cocktail with my lunch. There is quite a lot on the menu for a BBQ place, including steaks, so you don't have to be into BBQ, but you should definitely be into meat. I love that they offer the burnt bits! On occasion I will order this at my favourite BBQ places, so it made me feel a bit at home. Typically I go with my favourite of all BBQ meats: pulled pork. However, I noticed that a half rack of their KC Wet Baby Back Ribs was only £8.50 plus two humble sides or one divine side. That's a pretty good bargain, so I ordered that with a side of onion rings and cornbread. My drink only came out at the same time as my food did and while it didn't take that long for my food to come, I ordered a glass of water with my cocktail and was hoping to have a couple gulps. That's where I took a half a star off. I was interested in the twist on the Whiskey Sour: apricot liqueur, almond syrup, and peach bitters, but it tasted like an average Whiskey Sour. A bit bummed about that, but I guess if they had messed up my Whiskey Sour I would have been more critical. I love the presentation of the food. It is a bit neater than you would get at a BBQ joint in the U.S., but the tray is so ideal for eating sloppy BBQ. Not to mention you have enough room to set aside bones. Before trying the ribs, I decided to try my sides because I find that once you start with the smoked items and the BBQ sauces, everything seems a bit bland after that. The onion rings are HUGE and so crispy. They had a faint taste of onion, but for those of you wanting more onion, less batter, you'll be disappointed. However, I enjoyed them. The cornbread, on the other hand, not a fan. I was excited that they make it with sweet potato, but on tasting it... there wasn't that distinct cornbread flavor. In fact, I found the cornbread really bland and that's where the other half of the star came off. Not only would I not order the cornbread again, I would advise others against it. Now the ribs. Oh the ribs. They were everything I was hoping for and more. The best BBQ I have had in the UK so far. Well done Red's! I am not a fan of dry rubs and there is only one place that I am ok with a shortage of sauce on my pulled pork... so I ordered the wet ribs. There was a nice bark under the sauce and the meat was really tender and had lovely flavor. They have five different sauces... a vinegar based sauce, mustard based sauce, a standard BBQ sauce, ketchup, and hot sauce. I'm not a fan of vinegar sauces or mustard sauces so I went straight for the middle one. It was really good, in fact if they want to bottle it and sell me some, I would stock up. I was getting some looks from the yuppies at the table next to me for picking up my ribs and eating them with my hands... that's how you eat BBQ. If you don't want to get messy, don't eat BBQ. Sorry, not sorry. I may have texted Mr. Snarky saying that he needed to try out Red's and I would be happy to accompany him :). My waiter was attentive and with the exception of the drinks, he was quick with service and quite friendly. When I got my check, I was surprised to see I had only spent £15.00! My drink was nearly more than my food! I will definitely be back for more meat! read more
12 years ago
Awesome awesome and awesome! If you are a meat lover you have to visit! We arrived for lunch on a bank holiday and although it was busy we got a nice booth straight away. Staff were really friendly too. The menu was overwhelmingly good! So many tasty sounding, meaty options and difficult to choose! Being lunch time, I plumped for the combo sandwich to allow for trying two meats - the pulled pork and the brisket served with slaw and pickle and choice of two sides (potato salad and onion rings) all for 9.95 which I thought was really reasonable. Generous portions. The meat was divine. Tender, juicy and flavoursome and I really liked the range of sauces on each table and the recommendation on each bottle for what to eat it with. I tried them and they did work. I liked the look of the shakes and cocktail menu but didn't give it a go. I can imagine this place is packed for weekends and dinner but I will 100% be back. It was a very casual atmosphere and I guess it would probably be the same on evenings too. read more
8 years ago
So in love with this place! Found via Yelp, good reviews and loovvee BBQ so had to! The atmosphere was fab, cocktails are amazing. The star of the show is of course the BBQ'd meat. After having BBQ in the US I've been dreaming of a place closer to home and this place delivers! We wanted a bit of everything so went with this platter with added macaroni balls and half a chicken. Just so good! All I can say is go here! read more
9 years ago
I used to live in Manchester, so during a recent visit my friends took me to Red's. It was a busy Saturday afternoon in the city center and we had actually tried to get into a couple other places before stopping here. The only reason that this place wasn't top of the list initially is because my friends had never been able to get into it before. Red's is busy! But as luck would have it, this time we didn't have to wait. After being quickly seated we spent some time looking over the menu and got a couple orders of Mac 'n Cheese Balls to share. It was really tasty. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich. I love pulled pork. And since I was just in Texas visiting family I wasn't particularly wowed by Red's pulled pork. It was in no way bad. I really enjoyed it. One of my friends also had the pulled pork sandwich and thought it was a little dry, but I didn't feel that way. Rather, I've just been eating too much Texas BBQ and can be pretty picky. The Kansas City sauce was probably my favorite, but tasted a little more vinegary than what I'm used to. Anyway, we got the bright idea after our shared appetizers and entrees to also get milkshakes for dessert. I was pretty stuffed but peer pressure got the best of me. I had the spiked chocolate salted caramel shake. It was great. Unfortunately because I had already consumed so much food I wasn't able to finish it. Milkshakes come in really cute milk bottles. The bottles are also available for purchase. The whole restaurant has a worship theme. (See photos of sauces and milkshakes.) Even the toilets were confessionals. I guess eating BBQ really can be a spiritual experience! read more
12 years ago
Go Home Manchester BBQ you're drunk... It's all over people, there is no where to go for BBQ meat anymore competition, amateurs don't bother to get out of bed, the benchmark has been set. I feel I had to start this review with enough over-hyped enthusiasm to justify putting this place straight in at 5 stars, it's a rare occasion I would do such a thing normally requiring multiple visits to confirm consistency. This place sounded like everything I wanted, I've become very dissapointed with other BBQ meaty offerings around town, and hoped this would not go down that route. I was so, so, soooooooo happily shown the light it must be how people feel when they get dunked under the blessed waters and reborn. AND GUESS WHAT, Toby went 'BIG' for his first visit, what a surprise I hear you cry. I went with the Bucket of Bones, I laugh now because I had no idea quite how deep I was getting, I wasn't paddling I wasn't upto my knees, I'd shed my clothing jumped into the sauce and got neck deep. The Bucket unsurprisingly is a bucket, now bucket offerings from different places I have been to have dissapointed, often small buckets capable of holding a couple of pieces of fried chicken, or three ribs more bone than meat, I braced myself for what appeared on the table. This was no boy sized bucket this was a MAN bucket, there was no clever arranging of the flavoursome ribs of delight meaning half the bucket was empty space oh no, no manchester there was no space wasted whatsoever the bucket was full, full of ribs n tips in a myriad of sizes and topped like a flake in a protein icecream stuck out a beef rib this beef rib was crowning achievement it stood proud, thick, juicy (I am still talking about ribs) the meat on it was enough to be classed as a steak, the rest of the ribs were no skinny affairs eithers there was meat for days... literally days, this was like my foray into the 20inch pizza world, only with this one I'd had no idea I'd ordered so much food, this bucket was good enough for 2 people probably three, hell a family if the family isn't 4 Tobys (that'd be a wierd sight, especially if one was the wife). In the world of Manc Vs Food, food won my friends, what am I saying food didn't just win, it slammed me back into my chair told me I was a bad boy and proceeded to dance around me singing names of mockery. But that's ok, because Reds know what they put in front of you and without batting an eyelid 'would you like a box to take the rest home' I apologised for my failure and confirmed I'd be handing in my man card. I'd managed to consume the beef rib, about a dozen Pork ribs, and half a dozen pork tips, I think into the box went another 4 pork ribs, and 3 pork tips... OOOOOOOOoooo, oo ooooo ooooo I forgot I also polished off the sides, oh the sides they were the icing on the cake. There's been no sparing of quality on these, I had the slaw and the Potatoe salad, both were Schuperb! Beer was a delight, Idle Hands 3 pints dissappeared I obviously have no idea where (tasty) and I spied something on the menu that I just thought 'it's gotta be done' Pickleback - a shot of whiskey followed by a shot of pickle juice. Now I did honestly take some moments to think about this, pickle juice, really? but as I thought about the flavours both had I thought hmmm yeah actually that could work... It works, shot the whiskey, let it swill around your mouth a moment get the flavour seeping into the corners then hit your mouth with the shot of pickle juice. Needless to say just do it, just get on board. The staff, brilliant, attentive without being in your face, and there's no 'Oh I look after these tables I'm not coming to yours' try and catch any staff and they are more than happy to help in a flash, and I can't say that's because I was in on a quiet night, it was Monday but it was utterly heaving in that place. oh the place I haven't even talked about the place, I like the place, I like how it looks, very cool decor me likey.. OH and the music, their music selection fits brilliantly with the look, again me likey. I think I've talked about this place a lot now I should probably stop, I'm not even sure if anyones still reading, I'm hoping you stopped around the bucket of ribs and just walked out the door to this place, it sells itself2 read more
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