please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Having visited the Circus and the Grey Horse, this was the last of this trio of Portland Street pubs I was yet to visit. It's a busy Holt's house. Their Bitter, IPA & Two Hoots seem to be the regular ales. But I went for the Mild. They also had Bootleg Chorlton Pale Ale & Chorlton Green Hop. I assume this is Holt's offshoot "craft" brewery. But I stand to be corrected. I must say that I prefer the other two pubs on this stretch of the street. The Old Monkey lacks character. Although it is the largest of the three, by a country mile.
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Good although pretty basic trad pub. I plumped for Holts's IPA and an ale from Chorlton, both of which slipped down quite agreeably. The service was above standard and I was quite pleased with the modest prices. If the pub seemed a little lacking in character a regular imbiber tried to address the balance by offering me an extensive range of Internet based conspiracy theories that asked me to ponder on Obama's mother's real ethnicity, the secretive Zionist cabal that actually controls the whole actual world (and pretty ineptly I'd posit) and the satanic sexual practices of the average pro EU campaigner (actually I might have made up the last bit). Despite this distraction from my task at hand I'd still give the pub a safe 7/10.
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A good number of years since my last visit. Neat and tidy and efficient service. Excellent pint of Holt's Sixxex Special. 8/10.
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the last chance saloon
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good range of Holts ale, central location and plenty of room, unlike around the corner. Well worth a visit.
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Decent pint of Holts bitter in a traditional type pub. The most recent refurb hasn't messed about with the atmosphere.
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One of the better Holt's in the city centre which we visited during Mild Magic earlier this year. They didn't have the Mild on, so instead I had a pint of Crystal. This was ok. There felt a better atmosphere in here than in the Ape & Apple or Crown & Anchor which we had visited earlier in the day. Not bad for a Holt pub.
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The Old Monkey is fairly OK. The beer is well kept and cheap. Friendly staff and good service.
I am going to award this pub eight.
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The beer was mediocre on my visit. Can't remember what I had a pint of, but a mate of mine had the same but in bottled form. To look and taste the two together, you wouldn't know it was the same beer at all. The bottled one was much clearer to look at and cleaner tasting. It wasn't packed out on my visit on a Saturday afternoon, though it was standing room only. Doubt I will be bothering to rush back, but it's another Manchester pub off the list.
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When this Holt's pub first opened it was a very welcome addition to the local pub scene and we always went for the excellent Holt's Mild or Bitter. Our last visit - on a Saturday in December 2012 - was disappointing to say the least. The bar is one large open space with some seating around the walls and a few other bits of furniture but it had lost all its atmosphere and warmth. The beer was mediocre and was served in plastic glasses (you cannot be serious!!). This used to be part of the "threepubsnextdoor" crawl in Portland Street but I doubt if we will use the Old Monkey again which is sad as I normally love Holt's beers.
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Like previous comments below I much preferred this place before the refurb. Back then it had true character and you felt like you was in a proper Manchester pub.
As regards the ale, its certainly drinkable but nothing to go mad about. Not one of my main priority pubs I aim for whilst in Manc for sure.
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I never visited the pub before the modernisation so can't comment on that, but seemed a decent pub, decent pint, friendly lass behind the bar. Good pub!
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Met a cousin of mine for a couple of hours here before getting my coach from across the road.Overall i'm glad i did.A very efficient barmaid served me an excellent pint of Mild at a mere �2-43 (ish).Nice bustling atmosphere too.Only drawback,as previous posters have written is that Holts really botched up the modernisation.I don't even remember how it looked before but i could instantly tell it was blander then it once had been.
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The lunch time food is cheap, the beer is OKish. There are better choices in the area.
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Yes, used to be an old fashioned pub - now had horrible bland makeover. It's neither one thing or the other - it now looks more like a family chain pub serving food - except it';s not. Recently friend went to meet her husband there at 5pm, when it was empty, and get some food. With a 6 month old baby in a buggy - after watching her struggle up the steps and get in the female barstaffer barked 'No Children!' When asked if it was ok to stand there and wait while her husband finished his pint, they were told curtly to leave immediately. Now maybe some who don't like the new world of no-smoking family pubs might cheer at this, but a polite apologetic explanation of pub policy might have been more appropriate and even help out down the steps ... no chance here!
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Refurbished Holt's pub with, as MIT suggests, a definite effort to go upmarket from the slightly battered-looking, cheap and really good boozer that it was. However, despite the changes, the aditions of more seating and the price increases, the Old Monkey is still actually quite a good place for a drink. In its favour it has location (meaning the customers are still basically the same people), the fact that Holt's bitter and specials are excellent and price (even post-rise, bitter is �2.12 and Maplemoon was �2.13 on my last visit).
Overall then, the Old Monkey has definitely lost something and isn't any longer the proper boozer that its neighbour, the Grey Horse is, but is definitely still worth a visit for anyone who likes a properly bitter bitter.
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'Fantastic traditional Holts pub' no more sadly. Went past last night and like my local it's been ruined by yet another 'refurbishment' that consists of transforming decent working-class boozers into what Holts imagine are hip bar/lounges: all pastel shades, sofas and standard lamps. I predict that as they have done elsewhere Holts will be ramping up the previously very reasonable price of a pint in attempt to get you and me to pay for their social pretensions. Count me out!
m_j_t - 26 Nov 2009 08:22 |
Fantastic traditional Holts pub convieniently located. Holts brew one of my favourite milds and at �1.81 for a pint I had no room to complain. It was delicious, perfectly poured, right temperature and its obviously being turned over regularly which is often a problem when it comes to milds. I went in on a Friday afternoon at about 3pm and it was quite busy which was good to see, with most supping mild. A must visit.
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It's a Holts's pub, so you know what to expect. Cheap tasty mild and bitter in a slightly shabby pub. This one is a bit different though as it's pretty decent, given the large amount of people that pass through. Also has an upstairs bar that seems to be a bit of a secret (damn, that's blown it). Can be packed downstairs and 2 deep at the bar, but if you go upstairs it's quite peaceful, easy to get served and it has great views over the milling throngs on Portland Street. It's a decent pub.
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Opposite Chorlton Street bus station. The Holts beer is a good old fashioned northern bitter beer and reasonably priced too. A varied and mixed age clientale. Friendly.
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Far better (and far cheaper) than the identikit Wetherspoons just round the corner.
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City-centre pub which feels like a good local. The Joseph Holt Brewery clearly look after this pub, as the seats and toilets now seem in good nick. Beer-wise, Holt's bitter is �1.79 a pint and tastes superb, they also have mild on handpull, the lagers are from Holt's, and the full Holt's range in bottles are kept in the fridges. Will be back when next in central Manchester.
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Typical Holt's local in the City Centre. Good priced Holt's beer. Seats and benches could do with re-filling and re-covering though.
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Typical Joseph Holt pub - good beer and a nice atmosphere.Went in there last night with a bunch of lads on a stag do from London and they were impressed with the beer, pub and the friendliness of the local. Will go there again when I am next in Manchester visiting family.
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This Pub i was in in june 2007 from Fife in Scotland, was good beer + cheaper than in Scotland (why) but (Halves) are dear compared to Scotland, though im a Celts fan take note rangers fans whom intend to go shortly for uefa cup final, it's handy for bar practically next to it which is to me even better + id make it my local if i stayed their "The Grey Horse Inn" better pub, toilets small are actually outside, just like pissing against a stone wall lol but a good bar, i remember speaking to bloke from Liverpool in here, also a couple whom were ok, came over to speak to me, from Rochdale they said, bloke had an ipod so let me listen to a song on it from one of my fav artistes on it, only one thing believe it or not was this tall say guy about 6ft 5" came over to bar beside me prob worse for the drink, was a bit awkward sais i cannot understand the Scottish accent, really coming from a Geordie, i just laughed. Anyhow it takes all kinds eh LOL, but a gd pub.
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A nice cheap pint of Joey Holts here. Yes,you have to hold your nose when in the loos and sometimes its like walkin into an old peoples home,with all the depressed pensioners in there but the staff are friendly and a good mix of people at weekends.Worth a visit.
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"Interesting mix of people, from tramps to theatre goers."
Are they still letting those good for nothings in? A bit of theater and then they think they can intrude into other people's comfort zones! Can't wait to get back to Manchester and the Old Monkey to try some of the newer selections of Joey Holts.
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Traditional- ish Holts pub in Portland Street, close to the Circus Tavern and the Grey Horse. The pub has a bare-boarded ale house style, which I didn't really take to, but a typically bittery pint of Holts at � 1.62 ( from memory ) more than compensated. There is an upstairs bar doing lunchtime meals. This pub is rather bigger than both the Grey Horse and the Circus Tavern - hence more suitable for larger groups
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Quick pint in here on Friday night was pretty enjoyable. Interesting mix of people, from tramps to theatre goers. 3 pints of lager for less than 6 quid. Toilets stunk though, worse than any other pub loos I've been in - sort it out
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"Good on City matchdays"
You're not joking! Even better AFTER a City game! A time when the mis-led need cheap, decent bitter to really take their minds off the 90 minutes of excruciating pain they've just experienced. The Old Monkey comes up with the goods, season after miserable season, after miserable season, ad infinitum.
"why is it that pints of Diamond taste so much like apples?"
What did you expect, mango? See my review of the Ape and Apple for the real answer.
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The Joseph Holt "Diamond Lager" was spot on, 8/10
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very cheap and not bad, gets full at weekends.
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Used it on my very first trip to Manchester and found the bitter in good condition with the bonus of a very cheap price.
Even saw a famous previous presenter of The Word having a pint
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Why not quaff a most splendid pint of Holt's Bitter in the company of decent working class regulars? I know I do.
The ale is well looked after and ridiculously cheap, especially when compared to other ale houses such as Hydes (who now charge 275 pence a pint the cheeky bastards).
The pub is also situated in a great location ideal for anyone who wants to either:
a) Go home
2) Eat out
d) Continue drinking
4) Go shopping
Surprisingly empty on a weekday and bustling on a weekend. If you're in the area, pop in - you know you want to.
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Recent refurb...More chance of getting served here at night, than the Wethers up the road...Its a Holts house...Its cheap-but decent- beer,cheap-but decent-spirits & cheap & crap lager....it serves its purpose,it does the business....You`re then ready for an `all you can eat for �8` chinese buffet from the surrounding restaurants...(try opposite O`Sheas)... You should still have a few quid to put on a few`Lucky dips` the next day... (Heaven -Manchester Style!).
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Well it's a holts pub so at least you can a nites drinkin for a tenner.But yes it reminded me of the 'early Doors' pub as well
James - 12 Nov 2004 22:23 |
My girlfriend and I visited only last week and found it a great place to drink. Cheap beer & quiet surroundings.. what more can you ask for! Only bad point was that we couldn't get served food mid-afternoon!
Adam Riley - 1 Aug 2004 15:20 |
Portland Street has a terrace of pubs and shops. This is the west end, and the Circus Tavern and Grey Horse are just a shuffle along. This must be THE cheapest pub-crawl possible, a pint in each pub for just on a fiver in total(regular prices)until last year.
Vasili - 30 Jul 2004 16:20 |
As a pub it would make a great car park, staff seeme to be put out if you want serving, beer not very good, during the day it looked like the set of the TV series 'Early Doors'.
Bernard - 24 Feb 2004 11:58 |
this old monkey is RANK.. the beer is cheap so its a good place to get pissed before you go out to town ;)
pete - 26 Oct 2003 20:17 |
Decent Holts pub, as an ex-bar-worker most bar staff are lager drinkers even when offered the real stuff free! Oh for the days when Firkins used to run decent Beer Festivals.
Top Cat - 2 Aug 2003 10:05 |
comment to andy about the gay situation. Danny the manager is gay and is upset by what you said pop in again and have a word with him he wants to get to root of the problem
gaz - 26 Jul 2003 16:03 |
A tip for the management, if you're going to serve decent beer, don't employ young lager drinkers behind the bar who haven't got a clue what it should taste like. Our bad pints of mild were changed for a good bitter but people were still complaining about the mild an hour later.
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was very funny when there're spanish
chris - 18 Jun 2003 16:46 |
visited this pub with some gay freinds not made welcome by staff or customers maybe thats why just over the road other bars in the gay village are thriving and do not hold judgement on someones gendor this is a pub that is slowly dying of death because of where it is situated now right in the gay catchment area staff need to wake up to the real world or this pub could end up like many others a thing of the past from now on we know where to take are custom?
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Good on City matchdays, why is it that pints of Diamond taste so much like apples?
Ronnie R - 24 Apr 2003 16:18 |
great pub i used to work there made lota of good friends, hi brian and becks
headsy - 24 Feb 2003 08:03 |
A bit like sitting in someone's front room - in a bad way. The beer may be good but you can't appreciate it in this pub. Couldn't wait to get out of the door!
Nige - 20 Jan 2003 21:48 |
Typical Holts pub, and one of the best real ale pubs in downtown Manchester.
Eric Fields - 20 Jan 2003 11:08 |
Good Holt's pub, due to having lots of lovely Holt's beer.
jim - 22 Nov 2002 15:03 |
Typical Holts pub. Clientelle a bit rough sometimes. Avoid when City or United are at home.
glossopowl - 15 Nov 2002 09:47 |
