Podium sits underneath the new Hilton hotel, so unlike Cloud 23 (the Hilton's Skybar) Podium exists on ground level. The bar promises to provide a kick-in the-behind for Manchester's bar scene, and the first impressions are good.
Debra says... I dined at The Podium with friends on friday 7th December and then went upto the Skybar Cloud 23. The meal was nice but it was cold - not the food but the restaurant. If you choose to dine there then take a scarf , coat and gloves as you'll need them. Because the hotel is all open plan as people come through the main entrance the cold air comes in....we were all feeling it and ended the meal abruptly without coffee and went up to Cloud 23....now that is superb if not expensive!!!! Well worth a visit. 3 people agree, 2 people disagree with this review
Marc Smith says... If you are thinking of visiting the Hilton Hotel's Podium restaurant, my advice to you is to NOT BOTHER.
It was my birthday this week and a party of six of us decided to dine at Podium, as we would be visiting the Cloud 23 bar earlier that evening.
The meal was very expensive - we only had a main course wach and two bottles of wine - and it came to £185. You don't mind paying extra for a really fine meal, but this was extremely mediocre.
We all ordered the ribeye steak, at £22 a pop. But it was particularly uninspiring. Chips, veg or salad had to be ordered extra, and they worked out incredibly expensive too. We worked out that the chips cost us 60p EACH. And they weren't even that nice.
The wine list was amazingly expensive too. We worked out that on their Faustino Rioja, they were making a 450 per cent profit mark-up, compared to what the same bottle would cost you in an off-license. No wonder Paris Hilton can afford all those handbags.
The only positive thing I could say about Podium is that the waitress was very nice. And we had to tip her well, because she let slip to us just how badly she was payed by the Hilton. She also told us that no Hilton staff are allowed anywhere near the Cloud 23 bar, not even on their day off.
This is the kind of restaurant you only ever go to once. Because once you've been, you won't want to go there and get fleeced for a mediocre meal at sky-high prices again. 2 people agree, 2 people disagree with this review
Geoff says... Hilton HHonours Diamond member tried to book an evening meal. Put through by hotel reception to restaurant, then told reservations taken externally, please another number, but this is "only open 09:00 to 17:00 for reservations so you will need to call tomorrow". Why make it easy for guests to eat? 2 people agree, 2 people disagree with this review