The Salisbury, Manchester

It's a rock pub. Yes, in the evenings, the jukebox plays rock and metal, and loudly at that, but that's not a problem. It's still the finest rock pub in Manchester, even though it is cleaner and better furnished, with a little less atmosphere than it had back in it's real heyday. Beer is better though.

28 Mar 2011 00:16

The Rain Bar, Castlefield

Lees is (on the whole) a filthy pint of beer, but here they do their best with it (which is basically just putting glitter on a turd). However, it's a great pub on a sunny day, because it's one of the very few pubs in Manchester with much outside seating down by the Rochdale canal, and the food is pretty good, but the rest of the time it's just a possible stopping off point between The Salisbury and the Briton's Protection.

28 Mar 2011 00:06

The Peveril Of The Peak, Castlefield

Good atmosphere and lovely looking, characterful pub, but always seems to be bloody shut! They definitely need to put a bit more effort into the beer too; it's real ale, but lazy, unimaginative choices and they need to keep it better.

27 Mar 2011 23:57

The Briton's Protection Hotel, Castlefield

A fine pub, though often far too busy, and the layout doesn't lend itself to many people. When it isn't too busy, it's one of the most comfortable pubs in the city, though seems to me they need to put a bit more effort into their beer. The Jennings Cumberland Ale was ok, but too cold and a pretty boring pint. Excellent range of Whisky.

27 Mar 2011 23:52

The Vine Inn, Manchester

An all right pub; a bit tatty and sticky with only two real ales on, which are pleasant enough. The city arms next door is better though.

27 Mar 2011 23:30

The City Arms, Manchester

My favourite pub in Manchester. Just a couple of rooms, comfortable but with no special features worth mentioning, but the beer is probably the best in in the city centre; six regularly changing, well kept beers, all from good real ale brewers and the manager (Steve) really cares about the beer. The food is unremarkable; just basic pub food, but you don't go there to eat. It's the perfect city centre alehouse.

27 Mar 2011 23:22

The Fishermans Retreat, Shuttleworth

Nice enough place; good location and pleasant atmosphere, though when I was there it most seemed filled with builders and their wives. Two or three real ales on, of which the Copper Dragon 'Golden Pippin' was fine. We went there for food though, and the service was dreadful. Maybe we were just unlucky, but we were waiting for half an hour for starters that were wrong, and when it came to the main, my chilli had been forgotten, and when I finally got it to arrive is was adequate, but just Wetherspoons food really (which is ok for Wetherspoons, but not when you are paying these prices).

They handled our complaints well though, and we didn't pay for any starters, or my forgotten chilli, so on the whole I'll forgive them.

27 Mar 2011 23:12