Manchester

Edwards
Portland Street
City Centre
Yikes! Another chain bar, and it's located right next to the bus station - put your glad rags on this is going to be a top hat and tails affair! Oh we jest, but to be fair to Edwards each time we've visited we've had fun. In fact the last time I came here we saw a 5ft high old man dancing around and entertaining a group of scantily clad young ladies. Top dollar, we thought, until two nights later we saw a familiar looking old woman dancing around at a venue down Canal Street - yep it was the original old man wearing women's clothes and make-up. Pointless story, but Edwards has little to talk about so I had to fill this review somehow. Cheap drinks (Promotions! Alcopops! Wodka!) in the cheap seats.
Indie and Underground bar

Wave
35 Portland Street
City Centre

Modern bar

Solomon Grundy
447/449 Wilmslow Road
Withington
Solomon's has been my regular Saturday and Sunday morning haunt for as long as I care to remember as their breakfasts are fantastic. This is in spite of the terrible pricing scheme and the painfully slow service, but when you've got a coffee, a newspaper and nothing to do all day it's no big deal. Situated in the middle of Withington high street, Solomon's is a more relaxed drinking establishment compared to other student bars. There's plenty of space for tables and chairs, with standing being practically discouraged, and a very boho-soho atmosphere. Grab a seat at the back of the bar in the semi-conservatory and you can drink yourself senseless in the bright sunlight. Food is served through the day (breakfast is an all day affair thankfully) and is priced just above average, but not quite into the expensive bracket. The standard of all the meals we've tried have been excellent. The coffee is well brewed, the orange juice is extra juicy, the beers are frothier and crisper than anywhere else and it just seems to have that air of something that's a class above anywhere else. Solomon Grundys is a great place to unwind during the day or for pre-club drinks - it's not exactly banging enough to entertain for a whole evening - but nethertheless it's definitely worth a visit.
Indie and Underground bar

M20
158 Burton Road
Didsbury
M20 is as M20 does. It?s a new upstart compared to the MET and four in hand, and other such bastions on Didsbury drinking but my god is it a refreshing change. Not just for the no nonsense party crowd who go there, spurred on my delicious cocktails and well chosen foreign beers but because the place is soooo 80?s it hurts, and it hurts in a good way. Ok to say so 80?s is a little harsh, but other drinking holes in Didsbury are painfully original and seem to lack soul and heart. They are bland and have no brand, M20, even if a little on the dark side, oozes someone?s personality, someone?s dream, you can tell someone somewhere wanted a bar. Bought one and is very happy about it. And well they might be ? the place has smashed it. The drinks aren?t cheap, with bottles of beer at a price around ?3.20 and cocktails (which are great to be fair) at ?7.95 but the queue to get in after only just gone 11 shows most people of Didsbury don?t care. The drinks are well mixed and well served by two legends in the area, the RnR boys, with rumors that they might well move and start their own bar somewhere in town! Hurrah! You see the problem with M20 is that the place is so small it might as well be down a back street in Granada or in a funkier part of Lisbon. It?s so very small but this can add to the vibe of the place, as you have to squish past people and be very unbritish about touching, and get involved when getting served. It also has an tiny built for couples area behind the bar which is so dark that it?s almost a place ripe for un noticed unplanned under the table affection (those of you who know about dark rooms, alas for you, this is not one of them, shame thou) The crowd seems younger than Didsbury is used to but this could be the fact that everyone is enjoying themselves and the drinks are flowing and you cant hear the over loud talking about share prices and skiing holidays booked for next year?thank God. There are more than a few attractive ladies who vie for attention and dance for fun in the space where there are no tables, I would say dance floor but this isn?t true. However, this is a rarity, according to one regular there are usually many more men than women that go in there, and I believe her she goes there 3 times a week. A don?t know if its sad or genius to be fair, The music policy is simple but affective. Get people dancing, play what they love and mix it well enough for people to notice, but not to scratch their chins about. It?s a lively, no messing about vibe, drinking and dancing but with a VMSA feel to the place (very much strings attached, including past relationship near marriages and broken dreams of the late 20?s early 30?s career people) However to balance this out nicely there are more than a few couples, no bad thing at their / my age. However, this party vibe maybe changing, rumors of revolution is in the air, a change of guard of the staff means RIP Rich and Rob (who almost ran the place for a while, especially with the faithful followers) and so maybe M20 maybe MT
Modern bar