Old Cross Tapas & Grill in Tameside

Was looking for a lite bite before flying and by chance on maps this was 2min from where we were. We didn't book in advance but was warmly welcomed and the hostess was lovely throughout. To say she is on her own she works amazingly efficient. We ordered 7tapas and some bread between the 4of us and every single one was served timely, piping hot and absolutely delicious. We would highly recommend the Scoth Eggs. The only reason for 4 giving 4 star instead of 5 is the decor felt a little dated. Nothing at all to do with servive or quality. Will definitely return when back in the area.

Me and my wife were here last night (28th Sept 2024) for our second time and it was every bit as good as the first (technically, it was even better, now that they have a license to see alcohol). The atmosphere is very relaxed and cosy, the servers are polite, friendly and attentive, and the food is simply delicious. Every dish we tried (around 6 tapas dishes plus a starter) was made to perfection, melt in your mouth satisfaction with every bite, and the various accompanying sauces and dips just elevate each dish. Old Cross Tapas & Grill is truly a little gem without any faults whatsoever.

We were very disappointed which is a shame as we had high expectations based on the reviews we read. The welcome was excellent! We were made to feel very appreciated. After waiting for the rest of our party we chose our dishes. At this time we were the only people to order. A few others arrived 5-10 minutes after we ordered. Most of our meal arrived not long after, but straight away there was disappointment! The bread ‘basket’ was 4 small pieces of bread, with two small dips. This would not have been so bad if it had been normal bread. It was Olive bread, and there was no mention of this on the menu! We did not discover until we looked at the bread in our hands and saw bits of olive that initially looked like seed. The chicken skewer was covered with Tzatziki, even though it did not say this on the menu, and we had asked for no tzatziki on the lamb Kofta, as two of us are allergic to cucumber. So we’re surprised they put it on another dish instead. Now the Kofta, which was burger shaped instead of a traditional Kebab. This was a thick slab of compacted meat with no real flavour. We had asked for some tomato sauce ( which was on the meatballs) but none available. The meatballs were again just compressed meat, which would not have been so bad but usually would have been marinated in the sauce so the flavour would permeate the food. Not so I’m afraid. Anyway we ate some of the food and our plates were empty and we were still waiting for some further dishes. Ok. After ten minutes or so we asked if the last two dishes were on the way. We were told it would be a few minutes before. Fine. After another ten minutes we asked again as other tables had already received lots of dishes. We were told that the dishes were on the way . About another 8-10 minutes later the prawns turned up, and I must say these did taste lovely. So where were the scollops? Oh they’d be out shortly. To be honest by this time we’d gone off the idea so we say cancel them please. The waitress told us we were being unreasonable and that they were very busy and we needed to wait. “‘ After all we weren’t going hungry “ To be honest we thought this was unreasonable as we had ordered before the restaurant became crowded. And to be honest if the scallops were takin that long to cook they would have tasted like Dunlop. Final word, would we go back! No.No.No.No ( that is one word per person) In response to the owner’s feedback. We did say that two of us were allergic to cucumbers and that is why we asked for no tzatziki on the lamb Koftes . We understand the principle of Tapas, but it just seemed like when the larger group arrived we were just forgotten.

I went to eat today with my family, as soon as we entered I got a very strong smell of fried food, even so we decided to stay and try, indeed the tapas are tapas, but the prices were exorbitant, for 4 pieces of bread they charged me £5.50, the potato omelet was more like quiche, the squid was frozen and bad, the beer, if you order a Peroni-style bottle, they serve it directly in the glass, that is, they don't give you the bottle so you can serve it yourself, but instead They come to you with the drink already served. In short, it is neither Spanish nor anything similar, it is an insult to Spanish cuisine and its culture. I went to eat today with my family, as soon as we entered I got a very strong smell of fritanga, even so we decided to stay and try, indeed the tapas are tapas, but the exorbitant prices, for 4 pieces of bread they have charged me £5.50, the potato omelet was rather quiché, the frozen squid and the bad ones, the beer if you ask for a peroni-style bottle they serve you directly in the glass, that is, they do not put the bottle so that you can serve it to you but they come with the glass already served. In short, it is neither Spanish nor anything that looks like it, it is an insult to Spanish cuisine and its culture.

He ido a comer hoy con mi familia, en cuanto hemos entrado me ha venido un olor muy fuerte a fritanga, aún así hemos decidido quedarnos y probar, efectivamente las tapas son tapas, pero los precios desorbitados, por 4 trozo de pan me han cobrado £5.50, la tortilla de patatas era más bien quiché, los calamares congelado y de los malos, la cerveza si pides botella estilo peroni te la sirven directamente en la copa, es decir no te ponen la botella para que te la sirvas tu sino que te vienen con la copa ya servida. En resumen no es ni español ni nada que se le parezca es es un insulto a la cocina española y a su cultura. I went to eat today with my family, as soon as we entered I got a very strong smell of fritanga, even so we decided to stay and try, indeed the tapas are tapas, but the exorbitant prices, for 4 pieces of bread they have charged me £5.50, the potato omelet was rather quiché, the frozen squid and the bad ones, the beer if you ask for a peroni-style bottle they serve you directly in the glass, that is, they do not put the bottle so that you can serve it to you but they come with the glass already served. In short, it's not Spanish or anything that looks like it, it's an insult to Spanish cuisine and its culture

Lovely food and really good service

Small but beautiful, staff very good and friendly, food was amazing we'll definitely be back

Amazing! The food was next level and the Spanish wine went down well thank you

First time diners...A very Intimate setting... Food was fabulous... Prices fair... Service the dogs do dars....🤔😉🍻

My wife and I have been meaning to eat here for ages and we were not disappointed by any of the food that we ordered, everything was well presented hot and plentiful and value for money at £14.99 for the lunchtime menu so if you have never been you are missing a gem.

We visited Old Cross on Saturday 20th July for evening meal it felt lovely and cosy and the young lady who served us was very polite, helpful and a lovely smile on her face. We ordered 7 dishes altogether between my husband and me,each and everyone of the dishes was very tasty and we fully enjoyed. We will definitely be visiting again. I fully recommend this lovely little place 💕

Everytime we go back here the food just gets better and better. Great food, great value. Just great all round. 👏👏👏👏

Lovely little eatery. Very quaint, but all the dishes were very tasty and a good size for tapas. The chef was very helpful as my friend had special dietary requirements. I Would recommend this place if you're visiting the area.

Early Father’s Day booking - a hidden gem in Ashton, small inside and upstairs. Food was really delicious, I highly recommend the bread starter with dips as it was cooked fresh from oven. Four of us ordered 3 tapas each and the best dishes in our opinion were the prawns, ribs, tortilla and dolmades. Everything else was really nice too. Very reasonably priced and I will definitely be going back!

Delicious food at a reasonable price

Went there yesterday for the first time (Sunday 5th May 24). Absolutely fabulous, have already recommended to various members of family. We will definitely be going there again. Mike and Gwen

Another hidden gem it is a delightful place. Service was excellent considering there were only 2 ladies doing everything, but the food didn't suffer , as it was excellent, very tasty, and very reasonably priced first vist but won't be the last.

We have been many times before and love this place. We took our grandson last night for the first time and he loved it too. We sampled about 8 dishes all of which were excellent. We'll all definitely be back. Many gluten free dishes available. The black pudding scotch eggs, fillet steak kebab with peppercorn sauce, ribs everything we had was delicious.

Lovely food! First time we have been, selection and variety on menu was very good, will definitely be back

Fantastic had my husband's 60th birthday party for 12 people had a wonderful day the service the food was brilliant everything was perfect and went above and beyond to look after us all ..amazing thank you

Read so many amazing reviews so had to try it and our visit did not disappoint. Food quality superb, ingredients fresh and presentation excellent. Restaurant is informal and service attentive and friendly .

Went to this nice little hidden tapas bar in ashton today and it was spot on. From service to all the small tapas dishes, it was all really nice ! Will be back. Thanks!

Food was nice and prices very reasonable. My only gripe was it was very cold, I was there in the afternoon and I'm not sure if the heating was on at all.

Absolutely superb. Great selection of wine. Food was fantastic. Service spot on. Would highly recommend and definitely return.

Food was great! Bit cold needed radiators on, nothing g worse than eating g out when it's cold! But food was realy good 5 stars for food, wouldgoback, in the summer, he he,

Popped in early this evening, really to see how big the place was, as we were looking to book it for a party of 12 for a birthday celebration, but we decided to try the food. The Chef very kindly gave us a party menu to take away (set menu available for over 6 people) and the staff happily answered our questions. The room had a lovely ambience and the other diners were happily tucking into dishes full of mussels! We ordered bread, which came warm with olives & 3 lovely dips, patatas bravas, chorizo, paprika chicken, and a small Greek salad and lamb chops from the daily specials menu. The food was so nice - we ordered extra bread to mop up the juices! The Chef came out & told us they would have an alcohol licence from next week & she gave hubby a sample of the red wine she would be serving. He really enjoyed it. The downside of this lovely little restaurant is that they don’t have a children’s menu - they apparently don’t really cater for children, and to my astonishment they don’t do desserts!!!!!! Shock, horror - to me, a dessert or a nice ice cream and coffee after a meal really finish off the dining experience. I’ve never heard this before, and was disappointed to say the least. Needless to say we won’t be booking our birthday celebration here but we did enjoy the food we had.

Tasty reasonably priced food served in a friendly atmosphere.

Excellant in every way food is amazing thank you we had a lovely evening

Absolutely loved this restaurant, the food is amazing 10/10

Class food and friendly service.

Fantastic food,really well cooked. Good choices. Great service too. Bring your own alcohol. Nicely decorated, creating a good ambiance. Had a little difficulty finding it because it is upstairs and entrance via a side street.

Great food as always.Till the next time.

Amazing food and staff are brilliant aswell

We were a party of four who thoroughly enjoyed all the dishes. The food was top quality with plenty of choice. Definitely recommended.

This was our first visit to the old Cross, the food was fantastic and our group were having a lovely time. The visit was spoiled by staff wanting to get home early. We had just finished our meal & the bill was delivered to the table without any of our group asking for it . The staff were sat waiting behind us, ready to go home , we asked if they were waiting to go home & a member of staff said , "Yes, you have ten minutes left of your slot ." It was only 9.40 on a Saturday night!!! Shame really the food was lovely.

Having read the reviews we had high hopes for this place WOW were we disappointed From walking up the stairs and feeling like you're in someones house to hearing the microwave beep, the whole experience was weird and disappointing The girl serving looked like she had just got out of bed, the food was sub-standard and the whole place was just odd I have never felt more uncomfortable when eating out as I did here and we certainly wouldn't recommend or go back

Beautiful restaurant, amazing staff and the best seafood I’ve tried in Manchester

Went on a midweek night and the food was simply inedible. One of the worst restaurants I’ve ever ate at. Something of kitchen nightmares!

Love this place. Food is amazing

Just had one of the most incredible meals in my life. Absolutely blown away by the quality and flavours of the food. My wife and I enjoyed the Garlic ciabatta with cheese and caramalised onion, the Albondigas, Chicken in a creamy paprika sauce, Patatas Bravas, Calamari, Garlic Mushrooms and from the specials board I had the King Scallops in a lemon butter sauce with samphire. We only stumbled upon the Old Cross because my wife had had an appointment at nearby Tameside Hospital and needed a bit of cheering up. We both love Tapas so we headed over. I'm so pleased we did. I consider myself to be a very good cook which is why despite enjoying great food, I rarely enjoy eating out because I always think 'I can cook better at home' so I'm very pleased to say I've finally found somewhere that is as good if not better than my own food. The Calamari was literally perfectly cooked. The sauce in the creamy paprika chicken was super, super tasty as was the sauce with the Albondigas. Really super flavoursome food. The King Scallops especially were superb, really Michelin star quality and I doubt even the great Marco Pierre White could present a better dish of scallops.

My wife and I had a fantastic meal. I'm still in shock by how good everything was. I really enjoy my food and am a very good cook which is why I don't really like eating out, but I've finally found somewhere, where I thought the food was better than what I can cook. It was amazing, I'm blown away by the quality and flavours of all the delicious dishes. The king scallops were Michelin star quality, I doubt even the great Marco Pierre white could do better

Food very good tasty and fresh gorgeous! Came out fast and chef was busy!! Chicken paprika wow. Tortilla unreal sublime. Couldn’t fault the food it was amazing. Have to say the Bar area needs to be other way round so you cant see whats going on behind looked bit scruffy. Needs an update inside. Blinds hanging down. Toilet needing cleaning. No candles or atmosphere which is a shame. Missing a trick with deserts the waitress could do these something Spanish quick with a small coffee. Prices a bit high £51 for 2 but we enjoyed the food a-lot. We took our wine 🍷 which was good! Coffee machine looked dodgy hot water pouring out. All in all this is 2nd time I’ve been here. Food is worth it !!! Chef works hard.

I come here quite a lot and am never disappointed... Mandie is an amazing chef and this is displayed in the quality of her food ... Staff are wonderful and attentive without being overbearing... I visit with fro mda and family alike and will continue to do so as it is so good... Well priced and a lovely atmosphere... Thanks Mandie and the team and will see you again soon xxx

Another visit last night Another fantastic evening was had. Great selection of dishes. Including lots of GF choices

Little hidden gem, quality food at a fair price. Bring your own alcoholic drinks. Can't recommend highly enough.

Stayed in Ashton under Lyne to see a match at Man City. Was looking for a meal pre match. Found this gem! All items freshly cooked and very tasty. Ordered 8 things from the tapas menu, could not choose a favourite. No alcohol licence but you can byo.

We was rushed out at 9.30pm . We new the table was for 2hrs and we was there for 3hrs. But no one else was coming in after us so was bit disappointed they asked us leave so early

Amazing food with great service Everything was so tasty, been here twice and will be back many more times. We highly recommend

I can't believe I've never noticed this place before, really lovely restaurant, nice decor and atmosphere, with a fab menu, so nice to have something different available. We were a party of 11 for a hen night and so went off the tapas party menu for 19.95 each and you can take your own alcohol which is a bonus, they chilled my wine night before and had it out on the table when we arrived, everything was delicious, the stuffed peppers were especially delicious and everyone was full and happy, and I'm looking forward to going back again soon 😋

Having read such good reviews, our expectations were high, therefore potential for disappointment and a nit picking review ........... but that is what any complaint about our experience would be ...... just a nit pick This place is exactly what most reviews say ... A HIDDEN GEM a delightful experience

Visited the restaurant on Easter Sunday with our daughter and her boyfriend who have recently moved to Ashton under Lyme. There is a large range of tapas on the menu and a specials board. We selected 12 different dishes between us, accompanied by some bread....

Went last night (Saturday night), nice relaxed atmosphere, nice food and reasonably priced. Will definitely be going again.

We had the lunchtime special, 3 tapas plus a drink for £14.95. We also added the black pudding scotch eggs which were amazing(highly recommended) Everything was extremely tasty and we were stuffed. Lovely staff, great food, you need to book as it is small and very popular.

Have to admit when my hubby told me we were eating at this place I was a bit nervous as I had never heard of it before . The entrance is a tad shabby as you go up some steep stairs and then the restaurant...

It was lovely the food was fresh and delicious and the service was brill. It’s take your own alcohol which just adds to its charm. We would definitely recommend.

I went there for tapas. There was a good menu for tapas. We had quite a lot of the tapas. Parking was at the rear on pay n display. 1 pound after 6pm.parking for all people. The tapas room was up a flight of stairs which were narrow, I did nt see any other way of reaching the room. There were plenty of tables. Booking is an option. Prices were competitive. Though portions were adequate.

Excellent food prepared great to order Great variety on the menu to suit all tastes Not many tables so be sure to book Staff are also really nice 👍

Mandie is an amazing chef and each dish was sublime 😍

Went here today with the family and it was lovely and homely, the staff were friendly and inviting. Would recommend this place if you are looking for a nice meal out in Ashton Under Lyne town centre.

We found this restaurant for my husband's birthday and we're very impressed with the food. It was well seasoned and we had a great night out. For me the sardines and the Greek salad were the stars. My son and daughter-in-law loved the prawns which they said were the best they'd tasted. They also loved the chorizo and bean stew. Overall fantastic food and a lovely ambiance.

Food was absolutely delicious. Congrats to the chef.

Cracking little venue, good choice of dishes, all well made and flavoursome. Service was good, though it was a little quiet so I expect it to be a bit slower when rammed. The service just adds authenticity to the tapas experience.

We attended for lunch on a Saturday, I think we were the first customers to arrive and were early but we were seated immediately and brought our own wine and beers so we had plenty of time to chat and view the menu. Food was...

just b4 closing so pretty quiet as expected on a Sunday evening . Great food . Good choice . of Menu . a bit Pricey ££. around £8 per tapa dish . Breads £4+£5 . bit comes with pesto dip etc . very tasty . Does not serve Alcohol . but It's really Great you can bring your own . with you . so makes up for the Prices . ⭐

Intimate little restaurant serving fabulous food, all cooked on order by owner and Chef, Mandy. The paella is the best I have ever tasted but don't forget to check the specials board as well. When everything is so good it's ideal that it's tapas, perfect for sharing with family and friends. Menu prices are very reasonable and as it's BYOB, you save money bringing your own alcoholic drinks. (Edit ; they charge that small an amount for corkage i never even noticed until they replied to this review) Friendly, attentive staff in a lovely relaxed atmosphere complete the picture, making this one of my favourite places to bring the people that I love. x

Nicest tapas I've had in years, each dish tasted delicious. Smoked paprika chicken was my favourite. Only thing I could say is it's a small space but wouldn't put me off going again.

Really tasty food and a nice cosy atmosphere, would definitely recommend!

What a gem. Every tapas dish was a delight

First visit to the Old Cross. Fully booked Fri evening so 5 of us went for lunchtime special deal ( booked 4 pm). Choice on the menu was great, 3 tapas for £13.95 Inc non alcoholic drink. Bring your own wine/alcohol for £1 corkage. The...

Absolutely amazing place. I called in today Sunday 2nd October 2022 with my wife and had Tapas. The food was fantastic and very reasonably priced. The owner had plenty of time for conversation and the service was perfect. We brought our own bottle of wine...

Went with a party of 12. Food was 😋 delicious.

I eat in a lot of restaurants, and for my sins happen to live in Ashton-under-Lyne. I've walked along Penny Meadow and spotted this restaurant many times and finally decided to go. The first indication I'd stumbled upon a hidden gem is that I couldn't...

Finally decided to try this place rather than travel 20 minutes for tapas. Really enjoyed the food and would highly recommend this place. Its a lively small setting.

Had a fabulous meal at the Old Cross tapas bar and grill. Food was excellent and all reasonably priced. The paella was amazing along with the oysters(need to order these) mussels and king prawn also the Iberian ribs. You can’t go wrong withe the menu something to suit everyone. You take your own booze as there is no license. But a fantastic job my mandy and her team 🥰

What an amazing restaurant this is! Our party of four ordered about 15 dishes and loved every single one. The mussels, black pudding and quail egg scotch eggs, stuffed peppers, and chicken skewers were especially tasty. The majority of the menu was gluten-free, which was fantastic news for one of our party. We can't wait to return and sample more of the main menu and specials.

Echoing what many have already documented this place is a little gem, amazed that all the food is cooked and prepared by just one chef and the quality of food is exemplary. We opted for many of the seafood options which were deliciously fresh and...

The idea is brilliant, everyone likes Spanish food but I’m sorry i have to give you to stars as the paella doesn’t contain chorizo, the beef was like a beef stew and the patatas bravas were the worst i ever ate in my life, the rest very good, so the 2 stars are going to the staff

Food excellent and freshly cooked, only criticism was that the dishes weren't served together. Staff excellent.

Visited with my partner for his birthday. The food was superb and the service effective and friendly. Would highly recommend.

Lovely food and very friendly. I'll be back xxx

Great atmosphere. Great value and above all great food. I would recommend this place to anyone who's looking for good quality food in Ashton-under-Lyne. 👏👏👏👏

Small and quirky just like my girl😉 Loved it 🥰🥰. They don't have an alcohol licence so take your own if you want it. Old building on first floor so disabled access may be an issue. Thankyou 😇

Lovely place for tapas. Would highly recommend for an intimate setting and tasty food. Get your booking in early as it fills up fast.

old cross tapas had been recommended to us by friends,we went saturday evening,didnt fail to meet our expectations,we ordered 6 tapas between two of us,all very tasty ,service was excellent with a smile,excellent quality food They do serve soft drinks but if wanting alcholic beverages...

We had the party menu for 10 of us Amazing all the food was fresh and hot all got served together, no waiting, staff were warm and welcoming. No one had any issues regarding anything everyone said what a lovely food. The place was very clean and well stocked bathroom. We will be going back may for the fish Friday menu love fish.

Food was ok but there were a lot of small midges flying around

Booked table at 7.30 it’s now 8.30 and I’ve had nothing to eat yet !!!!! Never again !!!!

Great quality food, super service. Definitely go again if I'm in Manchester.

We called in on spec without a booking and they managed to fit us in. It’s a small place but lovely and didn’t feel too over crowded. The ladies were lovely and helpful, nothing was too much bother for them. Very attentive and kept making...

Great food, we were well looked after, couldn't find fault with the food!

Was here last Saturday with my mum and partner and I have to say the food here is amazing. Small portions as a tapas place should be. I had the calamari and ham and cheese croquetas just so good.

Fantastic food, lovely staff and a wonderful evening all in all.

The food & service are amazing. The owner is exceptionally welcoming and a fantastic chef..

Decided to revisit The Old Cross Tapas and Grill after an absence of 3 years mostly due to Covid. Ashton is limited in my opinion as to having something other than an Italian or Indian so a tapas place makes a nice change. We booked...

Always go here for special occasions and never disappointed. Always gifted with beautiful, well cooked and flavourful food. Never a bad thing to say

This restaurant is normally open Wednesday to Sunday but they honoured my Tuesday booking. We literally had the whole place to ourselves so service was amazing. My main point is that they went above and beyond. They could have closed but they didnt and it...

Food was amazing ...Great little place ..staff was kind and the chef cooked 10/10 food ..we would recommend anyone try this place out .

Cosy with the feel good factor. Service after our selection of dishes was brilliant. Not all brought out at the same time so everything was hot when it came out also gave us breathing time in between dishes. Can not praise the food enough. So...

Another amazing evening of great food, soooo tasty, nd full of flavour, anc great service. You will not be disappointed

Superb is the only way to describe it.