We had SUCH fond memories of this place from a few years ago when we gave it a stellar 5 star review. 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?? read more

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Such a beautiful place. Inside is decorative, service was awesome as well. 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. read more

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Probable food poisoning issue. Our food arrived far too quickly. Within 5 to 10 minutes of ordering. Lukewarm at best. Steak pudding. We both ended up leaving half and the waitress commented on this. Told her it arrived not very warm. Got the usual sorry platitudes. We commented when it arrived so quick. Definitely been precooked and not heated properly. Within 3 hours I was violently ill whilst at the theatre opposite. Complained to the management about this, got a rather snippy and 'it's nothing to do with our food email', then received nothing after my reply. The manager knew this was a probable food poisoning issue, and didn't want to know. Told me to go to my GP and basically to 'prove it after seeing my GP'. Awful experience and totally ruined my long awaited theatre night. Not even an offer of part refund, no apology, nothing. 100% my illness was caused by their poor food, ad I had eaten nothing else hardly all day. Have reported it to Food standards Agency. read more

We're a couple of cultured Americans (almost an oxymoron) and foodies staying at the Clocktower Hotel and decided to try these tapas style menu. We were pleasantly surprised by the flavors. The grilled prawns were very good, the chicken wings amazing (way better than wing stop or hooters). The Jerusalem artichokes were a large portion and paired with great stewed tomatos, the brocolli on the salty side but with great indian/asian flavors. The grilled carrots were not as sweet as your common orange carrot and the pesto aded lots of flavor. The lentil and potato daal very indian in flavor but amazing. Service was top notch, and the ambiance and decor just amazingly historical. The prices are very rational for such visual and overall sensonsory experience. I highly recommend it and would definitely return. read more

The Refuge - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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The last time I was here was just for drinks. This time we had dinner. It was amazing! Small plates but larger than tapas. Everything we had was amazing. For me the winner was the Gochujang-glazed pork belly. A bit of heat and a whole lotta taste. We also had: Chicken thigh and Old Spot pork tagine, apricots, pistachios, mint, Lamb shawarma, roasted garlic toum, zhug, slaw, green chilli, onions, lahuhua, Cauliflower, coconut yoghurt, harissa, Green lentil daal, ghee, ginger....you get the idea. While all of us are carnivores there are plenty of veggie and vegan dishes. Everything was superb as was our server Curtis. My compliments to Chef Paul. A+++++. read more

The Refuge - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Loved the ambiance. Tall ceiling, but the decor kept it inviting. Food was amazing. Ordered a few tapas to share. Everything complimented each other. Plenty of food without feeling stuffed. Be sure to leave room for dessert. Lucia was our server and was kind and helpful and anticipated our every need. read more

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The food was crap. The people were horrible and were rude. The place was dirty. I had to wait one whole hour to get served forfucksake.

Thought I reviewed Refuge already but I guess not! I've been for lunch on Sunday and dinner on Monday now and both times it was quietly buzzing and was a really nice environment - they've really enhanced what was already a cool, historical space (Manchester tiles!). The winter garden is beautiful. I did attempt to come for a drink on Saturday night but the winter garden seriously lacks seats (several tables left without any) so bf & I abandoned it which was a shame for Refuge given the amount we drink. Foodwise it's generally a good standard. We also had really nice servers both times. I enjoyed the black daal, it almost veers towards sickly but is great if you want comfort food. The pork belly was also really good. The lamb is also a safe bet (as at Volta). Also as at Volta, there's the occasional bum note -the aubergine chips we had just tasted a bit weird, and we thought the ox cheek, although a nice piece of meat, was not well balanced by the egg and Srichacha (it needs a lighter kick like lime or coriander perhaps) but the majority of the dishes are good. On my second visit our server recommend the volcanic tomatoes and the were genuinely outstanding, I really didn't expect them to be that good! Incidentally, they have vermut on the menu here. I hope this is the sign of more (sweet) vermouth to come in Manchester, because after much research I have decided it is the best alcoholic drink. Overall a very welcome addition to the central Manchester dining scene, especially given it's not an American diner or tapas restaurant. read more

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I've not had food here but have popped in for drinks on a couple of occasions now. My first impressions are very positive. The bar seems well stocked and the prices are decent. I LOVE the winter garden area, it's gorgeous, cosy sofas and chairs strewn amongst fairy lit trees. You can get table service in this section. They also have a large smoking area with tables and chairs around the back. The size of this place is impressive, there's ample seating and the bar is well staffed so you get served pretty quickly. The actual building is beautiful, the dark wood finish in the bar area really emphasises the cosy yet chic feel of the place. I'll be back for food soon, and for drinks sooner! read more

The Refuge - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Popped in here yesterday when walking to Piccadilly station from Oxford Road and thought - oh yeah, this new place - must give it a spin! First impressions with only popping in for an hour is - yes, this place is awesome - so well designed and really bringing it back to life and to it's past glories (but with a modern spin) - it really will be great for all occasions. I was actually only looking for a place to work for an hour so got settled in their cavernous lounge and there was plenty of room and great high speed internet. I think it will be a big favourite amongst remote workers and the laptop brigade in the day, with enough room not to get in the way of everyone else - the name 'Refuge' pretty much sums it up! The drinks menu is vast, the separate dining room very cool. The only thing against it was the price of the tea - a pot (which actually is one of the smallest pots I've ever seen - 2 super small cups filled) - was £4! The same price as some beers on their list. Everything else like coffee's seemed standard but this was ridiculous - we live in Britain for heaven's sake - the land of tea drinkers so please don't rip us off! read more

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Excellent! We spent around four hours here on a Tuesday afternoon sampling their food, savouring their coffee and scabbing their free wifi! I'll start with the basics. The Refuge is conveniently located on Oxford Street just a two minute walk from the train station. The casual seating area is huge with plenty of places for different sized groups to sit, there's even an Apprentice Style boardroom table. The vibe is very relaxed but when I entered I noticed a lot of business people (or people clearly working). The decor is fantastic, as mentioned its a huge open space but the dark wooden finish makes it feel close and comfortable. The lunch menu isn't huge but they clearly want to keep things simple and do them right. I had the beef burger accompanied by skinny fries and it was delicious. Just the right consistency so you could pick it up without it falling apart. It was generously topped with salad and the 'posh big mac' sauce finished it off nicely. If you want to eat you'll have to head through to the dining area as they don't serve food in the lounge - beware this was very busy, even on a Tuesday, so you may need to book in advance. After lunch we headed back to the lounge area and had a coffees while we chatted. The coffee was great, I had a flat white which was just off on the good side of bitter. We also ordered snacks later in the day - the Almonds cooked in bacon fat are a must try - that might sound gross to some people but just wait until the bacon flavour hits your taste buds! To access the free wifi you'll need to sign up wth your email address but then it's all yours. I haven't even received a spammy email a week later. It's really hard to fault The Refuge - the staff were attentive without being too in your face, which I suppose is important when people are using their premises for business meets! All in all a really great experience and a lovely place to spend the afternoon working. read more

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The Refuge is unbelievably impressive. the décor follows the rustic brass and dark wood trend that has become quite popular in bar/restaurants in Manchester City Centre, but that is far from a critique as The Refuge looks amazing! The venue is separated into different section with a long bar situated in the centre, and the front is the "Public Bar" area where everyone is welcome. Another section to the right of the bar is the dining area, which is a little isolate to the public area, which offers a great place to dine. Behind the bar and occupying the centre of the venue is the "Winter Garden", an intimate seating area, which looks incredible, and only by visiting would give you a full comprehension on the magic of this room. Connected to the "Winter Garden" is the "pen", a cutoff area with table football, high stool and surround seating, and a small bar. The pen offers an area for larger groups or functions. I had visited several times beforehand for drinks, but on this particular occasion, I was here for my work's Christmas party, and The Refuge did not disappoint, and full credit to everyone for accommodating the venue, despite hosting a Christmas party was a tailored affair. The venue was perfect, and the food was great, although offering a hot buffet, was non-traditional and confused some colleagues, it was thoroughly enjoyed, especially the desserts! I would love to return and sample there regular menu, but I am sure to pop in for a beer soon. The Refuge offers, a great selection of international beers, especially a fruity Schöfferhofer. read more

The Refuge - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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I wish I'd remembered Jonny's review and not made the same mistake of ordering a pot of tea here - though served in a stylish ForLife Stump Teapot, the cup wasn't much bigger than an Espresso and at £4 my Earl Grey was ridiculously overpriced. First world problems but I wasn't asked if I wanted anything with it (lemon or milk) and the server brought over the bill without seeing if I wanted anything else. Very peculiar. But apart from those glitches, this is a stunning space to spend some time in, with the large public bar area containing lots of comfy chairs and sofas to lounge for a while. There's also a large wooden table for sitting down with your laptop if you so wish. The bar itself is a thing of beauty - granite, back lit and glass panelled so you can see the 'Winter Garden' dining area in a glass atrium behind it. There are lots of period features in here and they've done a terrific job maintaining its splendour whilst adding in modern elements. The team from Volta in West Didsbury are behind the food and drink offering, so you can expect their good quality small plates (for this alone I'm definitely going to come back and eat soon). A very impressive space in the landmark Palace Hotel. Go and check it out! Tip: The public entrance is on the corner of Oxford Street and Whitworth Street. read more

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If first impressions are anything to go by, Refuge is going to do just fine in Manchester! I came in last night with my other half to try out the dinner menu and we really enjoyed the entire evening! Food was great, staff were supremely friendly and the building is just fantastic. We had two 'small plates' - the Halloumi and Fig plate and Salt Cod Croquettes - both really well presented and expertly cooked and we also had two of the 'larger plates' - the Seared Tuna and Hanger Steak being our choices there. Now I've had better steak before but the garlic butter type sauce that accompanied it was simply amazing, and the girlfriends Tuna & Pak Choi was well cooked and tasty also. We shared an Ice Cream sandwich for dessert which whilst it was tasty I'll be honest wasn't the best Ice Cream sandwich I'd ever had however I wouldn't put The Refuge as a dessert specialist and the mains were brilliant so we won't be too harsh for that! A perfect date night evening with the other half and besides a couple of very minor teething issues (wine arriving at the table before wine glasses and the small plates being a little delayed out of the kitchen) everything was great! -- Disclaimer: I was here during the soft launch in which they gave 50% off food but I assessed the cost and quality based on what the full price would normally have been. read more

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Wow! My first impressions of this place... Amazing! From the moment you step in, the bar infront of you is bright and airy with a great vibe going around. We came here for a late lunch in Saturday as weekend dinner slots were all booked up, but it was very busy both at the bar and in the restaurant. There is the 'Winter Garden' in the centre which is under the old skylight, and it really does feel like a different world there. The decor was authentically old, with well sized tables and really comfy chairs. The atmosphere was buzzing with chatter yet so relaxing away from the main hustle and bustle of Oxford Road. Menu choice was very good. The waiters are all so friendly and helpful and gave good honest suggestions. We had the lamb shwarma, halloumi, and wild bass cerviche as small plates, and the hanger steak and lamb chops for mains. They don't call it starters and mains here, as it depends on how hungry you are. Probably should have asked about this cos all the food came out at once! 'It comes out when it's ready' our waiter said. Shoulda said! Anyways all food was cooked to perfection, medium rare was medium rare. Sauces and sides taste great too. I would throughly recommend all our dishes. Everything just worked! We stayed around afterwards for another drink in the bar. I would certainly recommend that too. Definitely coming back to this in the near future (probably for afternoon tea in the winter garden), and hopefully this restaurant will manage to maintain its food and service excellence in the years to come. read more

The Refuge - Wild Bass Cerviche - Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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I was lucky enough to try out The Refuge on the last day of it's soft opening week (so the food was half price)... and I have to say I was not disappointed. The decor is stunning, I loved the old Victorian tiles, dark wood and the oversized dimly lit lamps over the tables. The music was a bit of a strange mix, it started out with some "thumping" beats with a lot of bass and then into more classical style and then again some more bass. It didn't detract from the atmosphere too much though. Having perused the menu beforehand, and as two vegetarians (my boyfriend and I), we knew we would have to order from the small plates menu as there are no options for vegetarians on the main menu. I do think this is somewhat of an oversight, but given that I prefer to try lots of different dishes, this was perfect. We had: Fig, halloumi, basil and mustard seed Smoked feta, beetroot, hazelnut and dill Black daal Volcanic tomatoes, cantaloupe, goat's cheese, basil, black vinegar Crispy aubergine, molasses and feta and fries and bread. This was just the right amount of food, on the menu it says 3 small plates per person but the waitress suggested 4 per person which would have been way too much. The flavours were absolutely fantastic. You know a meal is good when both of you are barely speaking and continually making "mmm" noises. We could not fault any of the food at all. We ordered a carafe of Malbec which was also absolutely delicious. To get to the toilet I had to walk through the stunning "winter garden." This would be an absolutely perfect place for a relaxed cocktail. Twinkly trees and and comfy sofas all surrounded by glass panels. The only slight disappointment (and the reason it wasn't quite 5 stars...although I'm probably being picky) was that the waiting staff seemed to be in a rush to clear our table (even though the restaurant was only half-full and it was later in the evening so I don't think they were trying to get rid of us.) We had shared small plates and each time one looked as though it was empty, they would swoop over to the table. I would have preferred them to wait until we had completely finished, although that may just be my own preference. As some of the dishes we had were quite saucy, it would have been nice to keep them for the bread etc. Overall it was a fabulous evening and I will definitely be returning. I can't wait to sip on a cocktail in the winter garden. read more

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The Refuge has a unique theme, and is situated in a truly beautiful building. Dining here is both an experience and a total pleasure :-) To begin our experience, I tried a Scarlet Fever, which is one of their signature cocktails. The cocktail had a kick lick a mule, and tasted amazing! A great start to a wonderful meal. On to the food! The food is all in keeping with the décor and the theme of the restaurant, which are inspired by Voltaire's travels. There are both Indian and Asian influences to the cuisine, which I say is best described as tapas. Tip: The sweet potato fries are delicious! If you order them strongly consider sharing, as the portion size is immense :-) Bottom line: The ambiance is lovely, the service is totally on point, and the food is delicious - highly recommended! read more

I loved this place! Its owned by the same guys who run Volta Bar on Burton Road in Didsbury. Its located next door to the the Palace Hotel in town. We decided to go for a drink in here before seeing a gig at Gorilla, its also very handy for pre drinks before seeing a show at the Palace Theatre next door, The whole place looks amazing, It has a victorian style to it due to the nature of the place yet trendy like the Hoxton Hotel in London with long tables and good looking arm chairs, The bar looks striking as does the rest of the place! It has a nice chilled out atmosphere to the place and its perfect for any time of the day. its a great place to catch up with friends or even just for a coffee or a drink. They have done a superb job of the place and i cant wait to go back! read more

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The bar. Horrible service. No server for tables tonight. Come up to bar and get your own. Only 1 bartender at 5pm on a Tuesday. So sad, such potential. read more

Lovely. Apart from the porridge which wasn't too warm when it came out, it's a great atmosphere. Loved the poached eggs on sourdough! Could have also done with more fresh fruit on the breakfast bar. Nice coffee! read more

Cool location and even more cool inside. May have been far to cool for this traveller but still worth it. Service was spot on and the tapas selection by our waiter was also spot on. All in all, worth the time and money! read more

Sunday Roast: pure legitness. Giant ass portion is surely enough for 2, maybe 3 people. Everything was cooked to perfection. The Yorkshire pudding didn't stand a chance as everyone devoured it. Dump gravy on everything and enjoy the candied cabbage, which was a surprise star in the dish. Service was super slow, so that's one star off. Food was 5 stars though. read more

The food is mediocre...nothing to brag about. You are paying for the new atmosphere. It is overly priced. I give it a two star. read more

Definitely a wow factor as you walk in. I love the old Victorian tiles and decor of (i hope) original features of the building. It does reminds me of Brown on King St or Hawksmoor on Air Street London. The price is reasonable for lunchtime menu and the food is great. I really enjoyed the black daal, which is on par with london famous black daal in dishroom. Very creamy and full of flavour with a bit of kick too. I also love the calamari very fresh but I would love it to have less batter on it. In terms of my main, Lamb Shawarma was definitely a dish to fill your tummy (if you are hugry) and it is full of flavour and not greasy. It really compliment well with the flat bread and houmous. But beware of one lone raw garlic attack hidden underneath the houmous that I did not expected. I gave 4 stars because this was a business lunch with my team and garlic attack was not cool! The service was ok but again it could be improve by explaining fully about the menu rather giving us the menu to figure out what is express dishes. read more

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Really good food, very nice place in Manchester! Would totally recommand it! Service is ok, the girl who welcomes and places you apparently does not understand people speaking with an american accent though... read more