Pubs in Manchester for a night out?
Discussion
I'm meeting a friend there next weekend and although he is local he seems to know nothing about the pubs etc in Manchester! I want to go somewhere where there are lots of pubs/bars within walking distance We're not interested in any ones full of people my kids age (21) as we are in our 40s. Lively places with music to 'proper' pubs is our range. We'll be taking the tram in from Bury.
Recommendations please...
Recommendations please...
long time since i live in manc, can't even remember where the bury tram would come in.
if its exchange square side you've got the mark addy by the irwell then the crown & anchor / wellingtons / sinclair's in the shambels behind selfridges.
if its over deansgate way then you have the briton's protection and the peveril of the peak.
all proper pubs and will have a fair mix of old and young.
deansgate runs between both locations. some decent bars in the spinningfields area and if you are starting early enough from deansgate end then there's a few bars in castlefield you might like. avoid deansgate locks.
if its exchange square side you've got the mark addy by the irwell then the crown & anchor / wellingtons / sinclair's in the shambels behind selfridges.
if its over deansgate way then you have the briton's protection and the peveril of the peak.
all proper pubs and will have a fair mix of old and young.
deansgate runs between both locations. some decent bars in the spinningfields area and if you are starting early enough from deansgate end then there's a few bars in castlefield you might like. avoid deansgate locks.
shirt said:
long time since i live in manc, can't even remember where the bury tram would come in.
if its exchange square side you've got the mark addy by the irwell then the crown & anchor / wellingtons / sinclair's in the shambels behind selfridges.
if its over deansgate way then you have the briton's protection and the peveril of the peak.
all proper pubs and will have a fair mix of old and young.
deansgate runs between both locations. some decent bars in the spinningfields area and if you are starting early enough from deansgate end then there's a few bars in castlefield you might like. avoid deansgate locks.
The Mark Addy closed years ago. Wellington's / Sinclairs are rough as they serve cheap beer. I've had some cracking times there but generally because of some of the "characters" they attract.if its exchange square side you've got the mark addy by the irwell then the crown & anchor / wellingtons / sinclair's in the shambels behind selfridges.
if its over deansgate way then you have the briton's protection and the peveril of the peak.
all proper pubs and will have a fair mix of old and young.
deansgate runs between both locations. some decent bars in the spinningfields area and if you are starting early enough from deansgate end then there's a few bars in castlefield you might like. avoid deansgate locks.
All the pubs above are proper old man boozers, fine if that's what you're after and I drink in all of them but none are somewhere I'd really consider for a big Saturday night out. They've all got bags of character and are the kind of places I'll go for a daytime drink or early evening.
If you want real ale you could try Beermoth off King Street, or The Oast House in Spinningfields. There are loads of cracking bars in the Northern Quarter, unfortunately you would be mixing with the 20 something crowd there. I'm of a similar age to you and we're in the NQ tomorrow night - Dusk til Pawn for pre-dinner cocktails then to El Capo for a meal and then some dancing - it's a mexican restaurant and tequila bar that turns into a club once the kitchen closes - Not sure it'd be ideal for 2 blokes but we've had some great nights there in a group.
Somewhere lively for a 40 year old I'd suggest Revolution de Cuba or Albert Schloss on Peter Street, both are very lively and generally attract an older crowd - there's music and dancing at both and you may have to queue to get in as they're popular for a reason. Neither serve bitter but have good selection of bottles and Albert Schloss is a German Beer Hall with a fine selection of German beers on tap. They both do food too. They are next door to each other and opposite the newly opened "Impossible" - ground floor restaurant and bar, first floor secret gin bar and basement club. I've been to the restaurant and gin bar and both were good and aimed at 40 somethings - the club only opened 2 weeks ago so no idea if it's any good. Or round the corner from these is The Albert Square Chop House, a bit more modern than some of the traditional boozers but will serve a good pint.
If heading to this area you could get off the tram at St Peter's Square and Albert Schloss and Rev's de Cuba are just round the corner.
In reality, Manchester is bursting at the seems with pubs and bars so you can't really go wrong. Walk in somewhere and you'll quickly get a feel for it and decide if it's for you. We went to The Botanist in Alderley Edge a few months ago and had a good night, so when out in Manchester one night we thought we'd head to The Botanist on Deansgate, wow the two places couldn't be more different, walked out before we'd even ordered a drink.
Personally I'd avoid Deansgate or anywhere round Piccadilly train station, but other than that go for it.
If you want the authentic experience try the Lower Turks head and the Hare and Hounds in Shudehill, not trendy, but the later especially feels like going back 100 years, seems almost untouched by modernity, all ceramic tiles walls and wood paneling, it isnt self consciously styled to be old, it just is, and decent beer which is cheap, its about as Mancunian as you can get, not where you would go "on the pull" unless you prefer the more mature lady...
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