Looking for another pub after dinner we stumbled onto Roxy! I sent a colleague in to see if it was…read moreworth entering... YES and more! Pool, Ping Pong, miniature golf with some crazy holes and more oh my! Beer pong tables, pinball, shuffleboard, this place is where you want to be with friends. Drinks, food and games by the hour, you'll definitely have fun and also enjoy the random art strewn throughout the two story building.

Roxy Ball Room is a pretty new place on Deansgate which only opened only the end of April this…read moreyear. They already have a venue in Leeds. First heard about them when they were at the Cocktails in the City event serving cocktails - as soon as we saw it and heard about what the place was, we planned to visit. So back in June, went with some friends with the plan to eat some food and play some pool and ping pong. Unfortunately the kitchen was closed as they had basically run out of food. Although it wasn't busy (which meant it sort of lacked atmosphere but it had only been open just over a month so probably the reason), there was a large-ish group which were there and they came at the last minute and emptied them out. I happen to tweet about something and mentioned about the kitchen and very nicely they invited us all back to have some food, drink, pool and ping pong, all complimentary. Very nice of them - didn't expect it. So about a week ago we all went. One of the people working there mentioned that the pizzas were very good. I was already planning on going for a pizza anyway - went for the Funghi pizza (mushroom). Could tell it all hand-made as the pizza was not really in a circle shape - but thats a good thing! Like burgers used to be, and still is in a way, there is tough competition doing pizzas now with some very good places. Overall I thought the pizza was really good - maybe not the best ever but good. And also it got the approval from the Floriana - who is Italian so she knows a good pizza! I ordered some sweet potato fries as a side and it was a big portion. Someone else ordered "normal" fries and they were sort of crinkle cut chips - tasted good and nice texture. I also had a cocktail - a Daiquiri - which was pretty good also. After the food, it was "game time"! Opportunity to work off some of the food we had eaten :) First was pool and we played in the upstairs level which was quiet - just us. I played better than I did last time with a few decent shots. Maybe the key is to play after a cocktail? After pool, we played ping pong on one of the many tables at Roxy. We played on the lower level of the place. It was at this point I realised that it was actually busy - loads of people playing ping pong, pool and beer pong. Its definitely more strenuous ping pong compared to pool - possibly more than picking up the ball from the floor than the actual playing ping pong. It was all good fun. The only problem I thought was the lighting which were sort of spotlights. So as well as dazzling a bit, it was also very warm. So overall, I think its a nice place to visit with a group of friends (its such a big space) and play some pool/ping pong/beer pong and to get some decent food. Thanks to Roxy for the complimentary food/drink etc. I think we all agreed that we would be back again.

Great American food. Just not great service the employees act like your bothering them and one lady…read morespecific with red hair and a nose ring is rude as hell.

Great American food. I'm from America and the chicken sandwich and the wings were superb. Drinks…read morewere great but prefer the regular fries over the animal fries

The rainbow did have a different name when I first started going ..I had the best times there…read more..with friends late night games . There's was a bar I think snacks ... Read it was ruff ..people from everywhere was there . Doing there own thing ....what a place big love and it will be sadly missed ...saved me a few times the rainbow ..back in 90s I started going ..never felt safer in there .....

So maybe it's a little rough around the edges, the tables have seen some use, the decor some abuse…read morebut isn't that what you want from a pool room? Surely half the experience is about the dirty glass, the moody lighting and the dodgy character eyeing you up for a hussle? The way I see it if Paul Newman had ever brought his queue to Manchester, Rainbow is where he'd have taken it. The edge of town location is perfect for keeping things low key and the prices of both the drinks and the tables are much more reasonable than some of the more central snooker halls. My only complaint is that things just aren't the same since the smoking ban kicked off- I'm a non smoker but even I can appreciate the romance those killer fumes brought to the table.

Another addition to the trendy Northern Quarter line up. Blackdog Ball room certainly has balls,…read morepool balls to be precise. A bar come diner come pool hall in a prime NQ spot must be a winner. The decor is fresh and suitably trendy. I visited on a busy Saturday night but it was perhaps too busy to get a feel for the place. I'd like to go back early evening and have a bite to eat. The food is being overseen by Anthony Fielden of Northern Quarter Restaurant so that gives me hope. I was a little miffed that although they advertise cocktails the guy behind the bar looked at me like I had just asked for a bowl of milk. No cocktails on offer but the other drinks were reasonably priced for that area. I was in there on a reconnaissance mission, and would have been interested to check it out anyway, but felt a lot of the clientele were in there because they thought they'd be classed as the 'cool set'. That just means everyone is watching everyone else and forgets to actually have fun. Luckily my friends and I snared a table and set about doing just that. I felt the music was poor for a Saturday night. I was expecting far better, especially as it's open until 5am. There are loads of good DJ's around who could offer something far more original. It was a bit like listening to a CD that is advertised in the ad breaks between Holyoaks. My friends and I left before I was tempted to 'hang the DJ' and found solace elsewhere. It certainly isn't the jewel in NQ's crown but it's the new kid on the block so perhaps once it has found its feet it'll find a voice I want to listen to on a Saturday night.

It's a source of amazement that I have yet to review Blackdog NQ. I frequent the place so often, my…read moreopinion of it has Yoyo'd countlessly over time. As one of the few places open later than other establishments during the week and due to its spacious nature Blackdog has become the goto place for nightowls / school night revellers / creatives / NQ bar staff... As a result whilst weekday night are somewhat passable, the weekends have become something of a nightmare. Unless you like the idea of grinding every Tom, Dick and stinking Harry on your way to the bar. Unless you like waiting half an hour for a drink, which you're most likely to spill given everyone around you thinks they're MJ reincarnated. It probably isn't your kettle of sardine. However Blackdog is brilliant if you want a game of pool and unwind during the week. It's brilliant for a weeknight in January with chilled vibes as I discovered few days ago. But on a busy night it's better to avoid it.

Traditional city pub, knowledgeable staff, very well-kept ale, comfortable seating and beautiful…read moreheritage interior. There's a fussball table I hadn't noticed before! Titanic plum porter and Tiger Rut were both on tap (cask) when we last visited - great to have such a range of light to dark even in the summer months.

'Pint or a half?' A…read morehop and skip from the architectural wonder of the Bridgewater Hall is Peveril of The Peak. Like the nearby Briton's Protection, it's one of Manchester's original drinking dens and one of the few places to escape modernisation. Outside is a mix of shocking pea and pastel green tiles whilst inside there's three different rooms with a distinctive 1970s feel. The walls are decorated with pub memorabilia and faded photos of celebrity musicians and actors whilst the jukebox is stacked with lots of Mancunian hits. There's also a pool table, dart board and bar stools encouraging conversation and friendly banter rather than getting legless or watching a widescreen TV. Prices are reasonable for the city centre and the staff are friendly. I'm more of a spirits girl than a beer swiller but for those that like a pint at the end of a long day, they have Deuchars, Tiger, Jennings Cumberland and Copper Dragon Golden Pippin ales on tap.

I was coerced into coming here on a Sunday. I agreed under the guise of a Bloody Mary special to…read morecombat my hangover. So...I would not have picked this place as my first choice as a spot to work off a hangover. It had too many clean lines. I was wanting something old, dark, traditional, dark, quiet-ish and dark. So it was dark but in no way traditional. None-the-less there was indeed a Bloody Mary Special so all went well. It was a special that included an English breakfast. Between the Bloody Mary the hearty eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns and so on...I left in far better shape than I arrived. That was the extend of my experience- which seems a shame as there is a lot to do here (billiards, terrace- karaoke - they told us). I don't know that I would say this will become me Sunday recovery go-to place, but I will likely return and check it out under different circumstances.

I came along to Blackdog Ballroom as my friends +1 for their launch of their new cocktail…read moremasterclasses. They launched three new variants - studio 54, all cocktails popularised in the 70's, Mexican/tiki themed cocktails and my personal favourite Prohibition. I had cocktails st Blackdog quite a few times and they never disappoint and these be additions to menu are very welcome in my opinion. We had some rather fantastic Manhattens, Sazeracs, and a New York sour -the standout drink for me. A traditional whisky sour topped with red wine, sounds crazy but it's fantastic. Next time I'm looking for somewhere to drink cocktails and chat to some very knowledgeable mixologists I'll be popping along here.

A real icon of the Victorian greatness of Manchester, Sam's opened in the same location over 150…read moreyears ago in the quaintly named Back Pool Fold location This is the place where the businessman of the day would eat when the City was known as King Cotton, but with the interior more recently updated to acknowledge artist LS Lowry who often frequented the establishment in the 1950s and 60s Framed photographs of the artist adorn the walls and a life size bronze sitting at the bar work so well It's an English pub, so unless you book yourself into the dining room, you buy your drinks and the bar and then find a seat The bar service is prompt and efficient The menu is classic North of England; steak and kidney pudding with mushy peas and mashed potatoes were just like I remember as a kid in these parts more than 50 years ago A tribute to Lowry on the menu is Lowry Lamb Cutlets - presumably a favorite of the artist back in the day; thick cut lamb chops on a bed of rocket was absolutely top notch This place is a classic and I can't believe that anybody would be disappointed

I've ordered Sam's Chop House a couple of times now on Deliveroo and the experience really has…read morechanged from good quality food, to not as good. I really do think I've caught them more than once at an odd day and the food is generally quite good. My recent order of the bacon chop restored my faith in the restauraunt, it was a high-quality, perfectly cooked chop of meat. The peppercorn sauce style gravy made it even better, again fresh with freshly cooked and seasoned chips. They also serve some of the best gluten-free fish and chips I've tried. There are occasionally issues with Deliveroo which means I look forward even more to trying out this place by dining inside when the current climate and government legislation allows. The biggest improvement they can make is consistency with orders, I've had more than one order which isn't as good but that must have been an off day, they are more than capable of delivering spectacular food and I think they just need to make sure they prioritise quality over speed of delivery, right now the food comes out of the kitchen so fast it's impressive but I'd happily wait a few minutes longer if they can deliver food the quality which I know they can do. 4*

New club in the Northern Quarter...meh. New club in the Northern Quarter that is not trying too…read morehard to be alternative and is happy with just being cool...yes please!! I cannot believe this gorgeous new club underneath Afflecks was once the horrendous Too Risque nightclub. Just shows what a lick of paint (and a huge refurbishment) can do to a place. The club is a collaboration brought to us from the people behind Sankeys and the people behind the Northern Quarter Bar and Restaurant...how very random! What I find more random are the secret rooms (not found any yet, apparently you need a password to get in...!!!)! They also have pool tables which are pretty cool and I think should be in more bars! I think it's going to be one of those places EVERYONE heads to over Christmas so try and find out the secret password now to impress your friends!

Black Dog was kind of nicer than I expected inside, fresh-looking decor and spacious…read more We headed here basically because those damn tasty toasties at Hold Fast had piqued our appetites but it was getting late. What a delight then to find that Black Dog not only serves food late but on Tuesdays serves two for one pizza. Two pizzas and a couple of sodas came to £12 WHAAAAAT. I was pleased. They weren't the best pizzas ever and I wouldn't come here for a normal-time evening meal but for late night food, this is great.

I've been there for the first time yesterday. I was with my boyfriend in search of a place that has…read morea pool table and because we live literally five minutes away from this pub, we've decided to give it a go. Cheap drinks as well, and it's 50p for a game of pool. You can also play darts if you want, or just sit there, relax and have a brew. They have a beers garden, and in the afternoon there are a lot of people around smoking and chatting. It's a Joseph Holt pub, so of course, some Manchester Ales can be found, like Maple Moon for instance. Very good beer, I recommend it. All in all, the staff was really friendly. As long as it's not busy, this pub is actually nicer than I've expected. Yeah, I'll probably go there again.

Live over the road in New apartments but have lived in a lot worse areas growing up. Went in to…read morewatch the Man United v's Chelsea game. Lady behind bar was friendly, played the football scratch card which helps for the free food at half time. Only one screen with limited volume. Cute girls sat around pretending to watch the game and plenty of regulars you will most likely see on a regular basis. A crazy landlady who obviously doesn't take the slightest s*** from anybody. Would I return again ? ABSOLUTELY. Pubs like this are a die'ing breed. If people don't visit them and give the support they should have then it will just be another apartment block for developers. People of LAMBA COURT SLATER HOUSE STEELE house pop over and have a pint for F***s sake ;-) Resident of Lamba Court ;-)

Rovers Return is a pretty great bar! We came in because we saw that they'd be showing the…read moreSuperBowl. Seems like a good place to watch sports games. Had the StrongBow Dark Fruit cider for £3.30 but also some beers (Old Speckled Hen and others) for only £2! Free Wifi--ask the bartender for the password. Friendly folks work the bar--we felt instantly welcome. My friends and I enjoyed our time and would definitely come back.

The Rovers return is situated near the lowry hotel and the Edge living accommodation in Salford…read morethey provide a bed and Breakfast and is run by a couple from the area, the pub is very traditional, the beer is reasonably priced with the Manchester prices, They provide Bed and Breakfast. There is no live entertainment but the locals will provide you with that, there is a great atmosphere in the pub and the locals make you feel very welcome there is Juke box which you can you use and also a pool table. The atmosphere is cosy and would suit the over 25years, the bar staff are friendly.