Sweet Mandarin in Manchester

As a newly diagnosed celiac, I thought the days of me being able to enjoy a Chinese were over. The food here is incredible and they couldn’t have been more accommodating for gluten free. An entire separate menu dedicated to it. I had the sweet and sour chicken and egg fried rice and it was AMAZING! The service too is phenomenal. When the waiter presented me with my dish, he said with pride ‘it’s all gluten free my friend.’ I’m still buzzing. What a place. Can’t thank them enough.

I was looking forward to finding a gluten-free Chinese restaurant with my partner and came across sweet mandarin. However, I can say my experience was memorable, only for reasons which are disappointing. We ordered some spring rolls that were okay. Unfortunately, I don’t know what happened to the main. The chicken was tasteless and had clearly been reheated, an overly boiled taste? The noodles on the chicken chow mein had a thick layer of slime; and the beef noodle was far too salty to finish. (Please see attached) Personally, I’m not someone who would raise complaints in person and would hate to cause a scene. Otherwise, I would have refused the bill. Please find this review as critical feedback to improve and not as a form of attack.

Came here for a family meal and we all had such a lovely time, and had some very very delicious food. As a gluten free girlie I struggle to find places for me and my picky-eater family members to enjoy. But this ticked everyone’s boxes! The food was flavoured to perfection, leaving a long-lasting flavour on your tongue to make you want to go back for more! I also got the Sheep zodiac cocktail and it was delicious. Me and my family would all recommend this place and would love to come back. The service was perfect, staff were all friendly, there was a tiny mishap with one of my orders but that was swiftly resolved with no trouble at all! We went on a sunday so it was fairly quiet but the atmosphere was still wonderful. Make sure you visit Sweet Mandarin for some gorgeous, gluten free Chinese food!

So lovely to find a genuine original Chinese restaurant - staff were so attentive and friendly and the food was so good. The portions were so big, I could only eat half of mine. Loved the idea of the cocktails named after the Chinese years too and well worth the money. It was our freinds anniversary that day and they have them a hand written card with a very special message on it and a gift of a picture frame to put a photo of that night in. Well done to the whole team at Sweet Mandarin 10/10 from us all.

Fabulous food, nicely decorated, calm atmosphere. Will return. Staff are nice although some of the servers seem quite young and clueless sometimes no offence of course just need more experience and training… other than that it’s great!

Absolutly beautiful restaurant, the staff were so welcoming and friendly, they even bought us a gift and wrote us a card when we said it was our engagement celebration, which was so beautiful and kind! The service was quick, the gluten free food was delicious, atmosphere great! Will certainly be back again soon! 10/10

Ruined a birthday celebration by careless omission of a very expensive order. They had one job.

Great Chinese thats a god send if you're gluten free! Really friendly people that run the place

First time here and really enjoyed the food Small menu but that really works as less choice means you pick better I think Nice staff not to pushy Very busy but that’s always a good sign I’ve been lucky to eat Chinese food in some great restaurants including opium den in Oxford and Hakkasan in Mayfair and quality of food here is comparable to them

A huge plus for being coeliac friendly and having great staff, but the food really is terrible. Bland fried rice, lukewarm shredded duck and £8 for a bowl of cold crispy kale covered in sugar and salt doesn't feel like a good experience.

Arrived at 20:00 on a Friday to be told ‘Take-Away’ only! Been many times before with no issue, but will avoid in future. Went to Hard Rock Cafe (Gluten Free) who were more than welcoming.

Very friendly service and very clean bathrooms. The interior and the music are not Chinese in any way (pop songs covered by a saxophone player). The dishes are full of sauces that are over-thickened and over-sweetened, whilst vegetables are merely a decoration. The dishes tasted exactly the same as at the cheap take-away places I used to dine at as a college student in the States. This is a pity, because this very restaurant is mentioned in the film footage on display at the Lee Kai Hung Chinese Culture Gallery (at the Manchester Museum), as a restaurant where dishes are made in accordance with cherished family recipes handed down from generation to generation...

We decided to go to Sweet Mandarin for mine and my friends birthday because of their extensive gluten free menu. I am coeliac and often feel very anxious eating out, but the staff were so reassuring, kind and accommodating. The food was also absolutely delicious and the portions were huge. They also gave me and my friend a birthday card and a box of chocolates which was just so lovely. The next time I'm in Manchester i'll be heading straight to Sweet Mandarin :)

I honestly love everything about this place. The food is always to a high standard. A fantastic meal yet again. Portions were huge and we had to take some away with us. The gluten free options are vast and the service is excellent. I had informed them when I booked that it was a special occasion and they made the visit extra special which shows a huge personal touch. We will absolutely be back next time we are back in Manchester! Thanks again.

Nothing special. Based on their website and their award from Gordon Ramsay I was expecting something fabulous but it was very average. Garnish on the starter was hard white cabbage and my chicken satay tasted not like a curry. Barely and peanut flavour and not rocky and satisfying. The place needs a refit as the decor was basic and it was cold. The tables felt cheap and the laminate was peeling off the menus. Staff were not unpleasant but looked like they didn't want to be there and the whole experience was lacklustre but not bad. I won't rush back. A few tweaks to the food, some training for their staff and a bit of work on the ambience and this place could be really nice with it's history but it was disappointing.

Highly recommend. Great food and gave us a special gift for my wife’s 30th birthday. Staff went out their way to accommodate our young children too.

Went to this restaurant after seeing it mentioned in a gluten free online group. The website is so reassuring listing the precautions they have made to limit cross contamination. The food was lovely. My friend was able to eat gluten but everything we ate was gluten free and delicious. Decent sized portions too. It isn't the most flash of restaurants but if you want nice gluten free Chinese food I would definitely recommend. Ps wasn't cold, didnt need to wear my coat- this is mentioned in some reviews but not the case when I was there and stormy and cold outside.

Looking for seriously good Gluten Free Chinese food? This is the place. A huge selection of food carefully prepared and is delicious. Make sure you're hungry because there's so much choice, you'll want one of everything.

A Chinese restaurant with a full gluten free menu!!! What an incredible find for our short trip to Manchester. To have such a wide choice of gluten free options at a Chinese restaurant was just incredible and so we over ordered, wanting to try as much as possible. We were not disappointed when the food came, incredible crispy salt and pepper wings, sweet and sour chicken, crispy shredded beef and much more. Tasted exactly like gluten containing Chinese. Will definitely be visiting here again if back in Manchester.

I went to Sweet Mandarin for my birthday. There were 14 people in the party. The service, food, and atmosphere was spectacular. I booked in advance and mentioned it was my birthday. The staff presented me with a card and a gift - so much lovely words, and joined in singing happy birthday. Cannot wait to go back. The best gf menu in Manchester. Highly recommended.

Food here is amazing and can be made gluten-free if required. Had a fantastic meal, many thanks !

We came here today for our anniversary meal and it was so lovely and such a nice experience. The food was tasty and delicious, the staff was attentive and nice. Towards the end of our meal a waiter came over and asked if we were celebrating anything special and when we told them it was our anniversary they asked for our names and 3 minutes later they brought out lovely and kind card with a little gift. It was honestly so nice and made our day even more special. The place is decorated beautifully and we will definitely come again!

Was so excited to visit here having heard so much about how great it is. But unfortunately it didn’t live up to the hype I’ve seen..we pre booked for 5pm arrived at 4:50 and the place was closed ..so wandered around for 10 mins then went back..it wasn’t like we expected at all not very welcoming and the place was freezing cold ..people sat with coats on! It reminded me of a canteen rather than a restaurant Service was good but food was no better than I can get from my local takeaway. No warmers were used under the food like in other Chinese I’ve been to in the past so we didn’t finish our mains as they went cold before we could eat them. The gluten free options were good (I had no reaction) we had the set meal..could have done without the salt and pepper chips..they don’t really say Chinese restaurant to me. All in all..not somewhere we will be going again. Especially when there are so many other gf places nearby.

Cold restaurant, boiling food (maybe microwaved) expensive for what it is.

Ristorante che si trova in zona centrale della città, da me apprezzato perchè offre un intero menù senza glutine. Essendo la prima volta che provo un cinese, non ho metro di paragone, cmq., quanto da me assaggiato era buono e sfizioso e soprattutto mangiato senza pensieri. Prezzi onesti e servizio cortese.

Lovely food, great gluten free and vegan menu. I was very disappointed with the portion size, not sure how they can justify their prices for tiny bowls of rice and curry sauce! And couldn't believe the small measure of cocktails we got which were 9 quid each , ridiculous!

First Chinese meal in 11 years for my Coliac wife, we both loved it and are already planning our next visit. Food was delicious, service was warm, and we were totally reassured the food was gluten free. Thank you!

We had a party of 14 visit the restaurant and the hospitality was fantastic, from the swift responses when making the booking to the kind card and gift received as it was my sons birthday, made this a fantastic experience. The food was tasty and the portion size good. I would visit again when next in Manchester.

The starters were nice. The mains were meh. No garnish or distinguishable elements between our dishes. The owner told us they stopped using garnish 20 years ago! Well, this made The dishes look like a takeaway on a plate.

Just a bit bland mediocre and overpriced, wish we had gone somewhere else when there is so much choice in the area. Personal I wouldn’t go back here again I would try another restaurant in the area.

Excellent food and great service.

The best gluten free Chinese ever! Being diagnosed with Coeliac Disease over a year ago, I’ve missed Chinese. The food was unbelievable I couldn’t eat it quick enough. They had a whole dedicated gluten free menu with meat, veggie and vegan options. I didn’t feel like I missed out on anything. Couldn’t recommend enough

Lovely food, we had the sharing platter which was nice and big portions size. We couldn't book so turned up at 8 and was told we could come in but they close at 9pm which we agreed to but did feel a bit rushed and felt was unusual to close at that time. It was our anniversary and they gave us a card and some lovely chopsticks which was a nice touch.

Wonderful restaurant, run by talented chefs who are kind and lovely people. I loved the Sweet and Sour Tofu. Delicious. We went for a special occasion and they really went the extra mile. My partner was touched by the heart warming gesture. Thank you x

We had booked a meal here for my daughter's graduation. The food is delicious with a great choice on the gluten free menu, so nice to have so many options. The staff are so lovely, they even gave my daughter a card and present for her graduation. Will return whenever I'm in Manchester.

Came here as was staying at hotel around corner Food was tasty and the portions large had Starter and main with. Beer all for £25.50. Freshly cooked and too much for me to finish. Would visit again when in area

This is an absolute MUST if you’re a coeliac! There is a dedicated gluten free menu and the restaurant has a promise around cross contamination which was so reassuring. I haven’t been able to go to a Chinese restaurant in over a decade and Sweet Mandarin did not disappoint! The prawn toast was SO SO good! Staff were absolutely lovely too! 🙌🏻 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great gluten free menu, for coeliacs, warm welcome, fantastic food, got card and chocs for birthday

Great for Gluten Free and nice food, very accommodating 👍🏻

Amazing food, so accommodating for gluten free. There is a separate menu, and they have separate woks and rice cookers, so really understand the cross contamination issue for coeliacs! Would definitely recommend to anyone, especially coeliacs who miss the taste of Chinese food!

They have a separate vegan menu. They also have a separate gluten free menu with a wide range of options including vegan, gf spring rolls - which are delicious (so much so my non gf boyfriend took the last one). As a vegan coeliac these menus are very helpful, as are the staff. I went this week for the first time in a while. The staff were lovely, friendly and accomodating with my vegan/gluten free requets and the food was delicious! I always love the salt and pepper tofu (previously my family, who are not vegan, said that this was the best tofu they had ever tasted). This time I had the spring rolls, salt & pepper tofu, jungle curry and salt & pepper chips - all really flavourful and tasty. Non vegan/gf friends who I went with were very happy with their dishes as well. The staff knew that it was my birthday and they gave me a very thoughtful present, which was lovely. I'll have to make sure I don't leave it as long before I go again!

Absolutely wonderful Gluten Free Food, a real rarity in Chinese Cuisine. Highly recommended. The staff were helpful and the menu was varied with lots of choice.

Lovely atmosphere and great service from all the staff who were very attentive. Food arrived quickly and tasted great. The gluten free menu gave me lots of choice so would definitely visit again

Great option for gluten free Chinese food. I’ve never had the option for a full Chinese meal of any substance. It’s usually lame, tasteless options but they had a full gluten free menu with food that I actually wanted to eat! The gluten free dinner for two was a ton of great food for the price. Definitely recommend.

Not great, or particularly cheap. The pad Thai was slimy and overly sweet with no egg, peanuts, tofu or slice of lime. The servers were wearing jogger tops and bottoms, so not really somewhere to go for a memorable meal

Had an amazing meal here after work, we were greeted and taken to our table and had the friendliest service you could ask for from start to finish. There are dedicated menus for Gluten Free (and think I saw a veggie/vegan one) and can confirm...

I am absolutely blown away. I was diagnosed coeliac at the end of January and was worried about eating out for my birthday. A friend recommended Sweet Mandarin as they have amazing GF food. Now, I make a lot of GF Chinese at home but...

Fabulous food... stunning service and the loveliest of people that run this restaurant. Made something not on the menu for us.A++++++

Really nice little place. Staff nice and helpful. Food was great. They have great selection gluten free menu. Main menu is nearly all gluten free as well.

Cold restaurant, poor service, NO atmosphere, very small portions, very expensive and disgusting GF food.

Sweet Mandarin, Chinese Restaurant in the Northern Quarter is a definite "One to avoid". The place was dirty, lacked any sort of ambiance, and the attitude of the staff was disgusting, no warm welcome, a female member of staff who looked like a 14 year...

We went yesterday (3/02/23) There was two of us. We ordered as follows: Sweet & Sour Chicken with Fried Rice and Chips. Shredded Beef with Boil Rice and Potatoes. Washed down with 4 Bottles of 330ml Larger. In total, this came to £88.40. The food...

We visited on Saturday night , the restaurant was that cold that people were sitting in their coats to eat . I can only describe the food as over priced and average at best . The waitress was very inexperienced and we were rushed with...

Visited one evening when we wanted somewhere close and quick to eat whilst staying in the nearby Holiday Inn. The food was incredible and there was plenty to choose from. We love Chinese cuisine and this is some of the best we've eaten in a long time. Drinks and food arrived very quickly after ordering and the service was also excellent. We will definitely be returning when we visit the city centre again.

Let me start, £14 for an omelette are you having a laugh? We asked for a plain foo young but because it wasn’t on the menu we were charged the same price if we had ordered chicken, disgraceful and to top it off I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life when we had to pay the bill & divide it by 3 trying to work out the cost of how much we each owed before the actual meal, a stressful experience that lacked enthusiasm from the staff members & the food in itself was bland, we left in a hurry & won’t be returning, absolute rip off for food that was overly expensive & lacked any flavour.

We visited this restaurant last night to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The staff were lovely and attentive and the food as usual was amazing. We had the gluten free dinner for two and everything was so tasty and hot. Thanks for a lovely evening and...

Ho deciso di provare questo ristorante dopo averlo visto in un’app. Hanno un menu interamente dedicato al senza glutine con...

An absolutely exquisite visit to Sweet Mandarin. The owner, Helen, is an absolute gem and the gluten free food was out of this world!!! I never thought I'd taste Chinese cuisine again after being diagnosed with coeliac. 15 years later and that all changed! Don't...

An absolute must for those on gluten free diet. Food was amazing

The food was lovely, however the service was poor. We felt very rushed, the staff weren't particularly polite and they seemed inexperienced overall. They have a very strict 9pm close policy, so despite us still having food on our plates and wine in our bottle,...

We had the most fantastic meal here with superb staff and attention to detail. My son has coeliac disease and has not had Chinese for several years. He was absolutely delighted to be able to eat freely and comfortably which is rare for him. The...

This is a lovely restaurant. The servers are really lovely and check in attentively. The gluten free menu is HUGE too. The only downside to the experience was that some of the dishes were too sweet (I suppose the clue was in the name!) and fairly expensive but this was partly due to my choices. Portion sizes very generous and less sweet dishes were delicious. Background music a good noise level too which seems to be a rarity nowadays. Beware that you will need to pay when ordering due to what appears to be a history of previous declined credit cards and people skirting off without paying. Will be back! Please start delivery!!!!

Tastiest Chinese in Manchester. Amazing food with great accomodation for dietary requirements. Lovely staff with fast service. Would definitely recommend for birthdays, kind touches from the restaurant adding to a wholesome evening.

Really bad service, awful food full of thickening agent.

l just want to start by saying that I don't like giving bad reviews but thought I must warn people of the experience we suffered last evening. We went to Sweet Mandarin on Saturday night to celebrate our friends birthday. We were a group of...

Lovely little Chinese with fabulously fresh and tasty food and really friendly service. The salt and pepper wings were phenomenal and we all agreed that this was the best Chinese meal we had eaten in a long time.

I was visiting Manchester from Nashville Tennessee when I went to Sweet Mandarin. I have celiac disease and as I was researching restaurants, I found Sweet Mandarin had a nearly entirely gluten free menu. This was the first time I felt safe eating Chinese food...

The service was amazing- we were greeted by one of the owners who, upon finding it was one of our group's birthday, gave them a card and a free cocktail. The food was really good with a lot of vegan options. My only criticism was...

As a coeliac, Chinese food is always something I miss as it’s not always easy to find places that can accommodate me. So researching places to eat safely on a trip to Manchester, I was delighted to see reviews recommending Sweet Mandarin. We booked a...

Great service and nice food, we went to celebrate my partner's birthday the food was very tasty the pad Thai portion was huge, they have gluten-free menu which is great and the staff is super friendly we'll be back for sure!

Now I know why it was so easy!! Very basic interior. Served by kids. Food had no flavour at all, even the prawns didn't taste of prawn! Don't go.

I’m Coeliac and never thought I’d be able to have Chinese again, but then I found this place! There was a good variety of food available in gluten free and was advised on arrival and when booking that the food is cooked completely separately and...

Lovely food and plenty of gluten free options! Perfect

Just been for a family celebration at Sweet Mandarin. If you have dietary requirements (ours is gluten free ) then they are on top of it, with loads of options. Staff are super friendly. Oh BTW, the food is amazing.

I’ve never left a review before but felt compelled to leave one for this restaurant. We were a group on 9 and not one single one of us was able to eat our food- it was without a doubt the worst food I have ever...

Best gluten free Chinese food I have ever had, often contemplating a trip back to Manchester just to eat at this restaurant again.

Out for my hen party , and after 9 years of not been able to have Chinese due to being coeliac a meal here was a must. The food was lovely and so were the staff. I was surprised with Prosecco and a lovely and...

This is our second vist and the first was better Decor needs some Money spent on it damage to celling was not nice Food was good but the ordering system is not the best no menus and have to order on the app is a...

Food was tasty with the added bonus that they catered for gluten free. The crispy duck was delicious! The chicken, black bean and peppers was tasty and the green curry had a good balance of flavours. Waitress and waitors were attentive and catered to all...

We love this place lovely friendly staff. Great food and a whole Gluten free menu

Very bad place to eat, whole experience was shocking ,kids serving and taking pictures of everyone, would never go back even if it was free,

Up in Manchester on business and needed a quick evening meal. Really good service and nice food glad it was just behind the hotel! Would visit again if in area

I've visited before and enjoyed this restaurant. As I am coeliac I am confident eating here as they have a separate gluten free menu. I've recently started following a pescatarian diet and was worried there may not be as many options for me to enjoy....

Extensive vegan menu, decent food and great service were the big plus points here. On the flip side the restaurant itself is a little shabby and it’s definitely pricy for the overall experience. Haven’t tried many of the many Chinese restaurants in Manchester lately to...

We went to Sweet Mandarin for an early birthday treat. I was diagnosed as coeliac 10 years ago & haven’t been to a Chinese restaurant since. I had seen the reviews on the Coeliac website when I was looking for restaurant recommendations in Manchester &...

Came here the other week. The food was quite nice but a little pricey. The restaurant was all partitioned and this took away from the restaurant atmosphere. Nevertheless, the food was nice and tasty.

Our family of 7 visited here on a Wednesday night and were greeted with excellent service. With one of us in our group being Wheat Intolerant we decided to order our dishes gluten free and eat in a banquet style. After our starters we ordered...

Extremely friendly staff, wonderful atmosphere and delicious food! Would highly recommend. Lots of gluten free options to choose from and yummy cocktails too. Staff are very aware of your allergies and take them seriously. We will definitely go back again.

After 25 years I finally got to experience chow mein!!! Their gluten free and vegan menus are incredible and I highly appreciated the care they took into explaining the steps they take to cook the food separately. I definitely recommend this family business, it has been one of the highlights of our trip to Manchester and I hope to experience it again!

Although not dined here for number of years have been wanting to take my husband here. Finally got the opportunity and it did not disappoint. Food was fantastic, piping hot tasty and huge portions. The spicy potatoes were amazing 😍. Lovely friendly staff. The ore...

This was the first time in 3 years after being diagnosed with coeliac disease that I was able to eat Chinese food and in a restaurant (my own homemade just isn’t the same). The food was completely amazing, I couldn’t believe it was gluten free,...

Had a great meal for my wife's birthday. The owner Helen pulled out all the stops, and the food was fantastic. We would highly recommend Sweet Mandarin ..... the best Chinese cuisine we have eaten including in Hong Kong. Wonderful!

Gorgeous meal. Like many here I've always struggled with Chinese food due to being gluten intolerant, so we had high hopes when we booked. Not only did they massively deliver, but the service was fantastic too. We recieved cards and birthday gifts, and were still...

Really nice reasonably priced Chinese restaurant. Food was lovely.. we will return again thats for sure.

My wife and I went here before Christmas and albeit the service was not great, it was excellent compared to tonight. Tonight we were shown to a table and left. After about 15 mins we were asked if we wanted a drink, we ordered our...

Came here last night with my boyfriend who has coeliacs and I was just blown away. By far the best experience we’ve had with a restaurant accommodating coeliacs. Firstly, the waiter asked about allergies right away (we normally need to ask), secondly the gluten free...

This restaurant is very expensive considering the decor, service, quality of food and young staff exploitation. Scum bags.

My wife is coeliac and we always struggle to find restaurants that are this switched on around food intolerance. The restaurant was situated in the Northern Quarter and was stylish in a non-fussy way. They ask that you preorder food which meant the food was excellent and the service fast . The staff were good, both efficient and friendly. I heartily recommend this restaurant to all.

so much choice! there was a 12 page gluten free menu and plenty of vegetarian/vegan options too. the staff were knowledgeable about coeliac disease and assured me there was no cross contamination as a separate fryer was used for gluten free meals (and lots of...

Me and my partner visited this small restaurant whilst visiting Manchester for my birthday. From the minute we walked in we felt welcomed into a friendly and kind environment. The food came and wow, it was amazing! It was all cooked so perfectly, with amazing...