The Alchemist in Manchester

The food is not good. The salad was old and the duck had the texture of dog food. The fries were soggy and the vegetable were probably frozen and pre-chopped. Go for drinks and vibes; do not buy food.

Great food, fast service at lunch and nice environment.

Classic cocktails alongside some more inventive and wow cocktails so something for everyone. The staff member, Joe, could not have been more welcoming and helpful and while all the staff we spoke to were lovely Joe definitely stood out. Thank you so much for making a cocktail that even my fussy son would enjoy! Amazing

Amazing food, drinks were different (great, but never have I drank something like this comes to mind)

Really nice bar and eatery with great busy ambience. Extremely helpful staff, delicious food and interesting cocktails. We stumbled across this place after a great afternoon at the theatre, then strolling around sightseeing Manchester including St Peter's Square. Thank you very much! I'm sure we'll be back when next visiting Manchester. Venue and atmosphere suitable for a social meal or party mood.

We went to this place for a team dinner. Everything was really good. The drinks were very interesting and the food was very delicious. Service was great too. We will definitely be back.

Very good atmosphere missy was a very good server, very nice and helped us

Very expensive for a mediocre experience.

Fabulous food, drinks and service

Have been to Liverpool Alchemist a few times. First time at Manchester one. Didn't disappoint great food atmosphere and lovely helpful staff.

Simply my favorite cocktail bar, great environment and music, super creative cocktails. Amazing staff and everyone should come and try this bar

Good atmosphere and the drinks are amazing! Our server Isaac was a gem, needed a sweet drink, he recommended the screwdriver and it was delectable! Highly recommend to anyone if your in the area

Had a couple of drinks great service but don't like the Automatic addition of a large service charge on top of expensive drinks Pork Scratchings £5 plus 50p to bring them over with the £47 drink Over £5 to serve too much for a bar

Good food, creative but overly sweet cocktails.

Great friendly service and tasty food, would definitely go again. Had a couple of starters and a drink, most enjoyable. Our server Emily was a gem 👍

First up the waitin on staff are first class, thank you to them for all they do. Atmosphere, as usual, amazing. In fact the only let down was the food, in particular the steaks. Portions a tad small and no vegetables offered at all. I mean it, no vegetables on the menu, not even as a side order. In fact, if you order a steak then all you get is a steak. Not even an attempt at a garnish. Fries are an extra side order, I had the salt and pepper fries which were limp and soggy. My son in law had regular fries which were limp and soggy. I would be reluctant to go back because at around £50 per head I expected a better kitchen. Exceptional place with dull food. On reflection, in terms of western pallet dishes, the kitchen here is way down the charts.

About time I came to this one, that’s all 3 in Manchester completed. Had a really lovely chat with the bartender and gained some really good knowledge about the alchemist and its history.

I've been here a bunch on nights out, I love the interesting cocktail options. It's a bit pricey but for a few fancy cocktails it's a great place. I've only eaten here once at a bottomless brunch and it was delicious but pretty small. The service for the bottomless was slower than expected but we got free drinks/got to order a few drinks at a time to make up for the wait. The atmosphere is pretty chill though the bar can get rammed at busy times.

Brunch went down rather well, great food, great cocktails and perfect service. The Alchemist has to be one of, if not my favourite cocktail bars in this sector.

12/2024: Second Christmas dinner at this place. This time the menu was: Starter - Panko pulled beef. It was really nice and tasty. I can recommend this as started. Main - Ribeye steak. It was as good as previous year, and it is probably the best main in the menu and the main reason why I repeat the main again. Some 9f my colleagues went for a different main such as Turkey in a basket and they regret about their choice. Dessert - Chocolate Brownie. Also it was as good as last year and probably the best dessert in the menu. Cocktails were as good as always and it is probably the best thing on this place as for food there are better places in Manchester. My suggestion for the alchemist is to change the Christmas menu from time to time and add new options, there are plenty of room for improvement in the menu. Otherwise people will start looking for other places. Christmas Dinner (12/2023): Food was good. Feta salad as starter, really good salad. It was tasty although the avocado was not the best one, I truly recommend this starter. Ribeye steak as main. Tasty and Delicious. Brownie as dessert. Also a good option. The atmosphere was great although the place is noisy which makes difficult to keep a conversation with your colleagues. Cocktails and drinks are probably the best asset for this place. If you are a food lover there are better places in Manchester, but in general a good experience.

Friendly staff, very professional. Good atmosphere.

Loved it! Great cocktails and a very nice service.

Paramos a tomar unas copas en un jueves muy ocupado temprano por la tarde. El lugar estaba reventando lleno, pero tuvimos la suerte de encontrar una mesa libre escondido junto a la barra principal; un gran lugar para ver a la gente. Estábamos reservados para una cena temprano en otro lugar, así que solo queríamos bebidas. Hay un largo menú de cócteles desde los viejos estándares hasta los Especiales de Navidad; hay algo para todos. Tuvimos dos rondas de cócteles eligiendo diferentes bebidas cada vez. Todas nuestras elecciones fueron puntuales. A pesar de que el bar estaba muy ocupado no tuvimos que esperar para ordenar. Esperar no es un problema, ya que hay algo que ver allá donde mires. En una tarde muy húmeda y fría Manchester The Alchemist era un lugar muy bienvenido para refugiarse. El servicio que recibimos fue muy eficiente. La atmósfera es lo que quieres que sea. Si quieres un rincón tranquilo hay mesas íntimas. Si están en grupo para reírse, hay mesas mucho más grandes donde pueden disfrutar.

La comida era genial, el calamar de sal y pimienta sabe increíble y la salsa de trufa que vino fue increíble también. Aunque pedí mi filete medio raro era más como medio bien, pero todavía era muy bueno, un poco decepcionante ya que me gusta mi filete mucho más raro, pero en general muy bueno. El amaretto agrio era pura espuma y como la mitad de la bebida real, pero sabía increíble. También estaba lleno, pero aún así logró obtener un servicio increíble de los servidores y el anfitrión era muy encantador.

Algunos de nosotros vinimos a tomar cócteles antes de nuestra fiesta de Navidad y hubo una elección fabulosa. Coste medio de unas 12 libras. Tuve el ChristmasPolitan y fue encantador!

Lovely drinks, a great atmosphere and did i mention the drinks?

Great drinks and good food. A bit noisy for conversation.

Nice bar with good drinks. The deafening techno rave, not so much.

Dear Alchemist Artisans, Once a beacon of cocktail creativity, my recent visit left me feeling the magic may have dimmed slightly. The theatrical flair that once set you apart felt a little subdued, as if the potions lacked the spark of old. While some of the drinks still carried your signature whimsy, the overall experience didn’t quite justify the price tag. The balance between spectacle, taste, and value seems to have shifted, leaving me yearning for the dazzling showmanship that once made each sip an adventure. I know you have the ingredients for greatness—here’s hoping the next round brings back the bold alchemy that made you stand out in the first place. Sincerely, “Feedback is a gift”

The service was bad, but it was right on the bill... that's not good...

I have been to a number of alchemists in London, however, this one came did not compare. Came for dinner on a visiting trip up to Manchester. Whenever I have been in London, they take you into a separate area to eat away from the loud bar area, however, we were sat in the bar area at the Manchester alchemist and had to shout in order to hear each other. The service in the London bars is also a lot better, with waitresses being more attentive than the bar staff at Manchester..

Fantastic cocktails served with theatrical effect. Great night out and the food was great too!

¡Entraron a tomar un cóctel y comieron 4 cada uno! Gran ambiente y servicio - no es barato, pero vale la pena cada centavo! Personal bien informado y bar fantástico. Volverá...

I like cocktails here, great selection, 100% you would find a match. In case if you don’t know what to choose, the friendly staff will help you to decide based on your preferences.

Fantastic place with amazing cocktails.

Nice ambience and really creative cocktails. Good advice if you are overwhelmed by the large selection. Since the room is relatively large, you feel a bit like you're in a train station when people are just chatting away. Candlelight loudspeaker music, a pianist or a DJ would improve the mood. 2Wif will be back!

Mocktails were fun. I had the antidote where I injected a cherry caffeine sour into my drink. A nice novelty. Mint tea was nice after meal. I had the halloumi flatbread with salt and pepper chips. V tasty but it was fries with a tiny bit of onion lol, not really salt and pepper chips but tastes good nonetheless. Everyone enjoyed their food. Would I go again? Maybe for the mocktails but needs a bit more atmosphere.

Great food and drinks with a fun twist!

Vine aquí con una oportunidad para mi cumpleaños el mes pasado. Estaban muy ocupados, pero nos encontraron una mesa. El servicio fue genial. Esperé un poco de nuestras bebidas calientes, pero entendimos que estaba ocupado. Cócteles increíbles. Bonitos pudines. Definitivamente vendrá de nuevo. Gracias.

Came here for my birthday as a walk in. They found us a table. Great service! A bit slow at times but we weren’t upset by it as it was busy. Beautiful cocktails and delicious desserts. Thank you

Bit overpriced for small drinks and about 15 seconds of entertainment. Music is repetitive and overall was poor for time spent in here. Shame as the actual interior and exterior made the place look more exciting than what was delivered. Most welcoming staff member was the door man, who was quite helpful. So thankyou to him

I recently visited The Alchemist in Manchester (New York Street) and I must say, the customer service provided by Missy and Poppy was exceptional! From the moment I walked in, they were both incredibly welcoming, friendly, and professional. Missy took the time to explain the menu and made fantastic recommendations, while Poppy’s attention to detail and warm demeanor made the entire experience feel personal and enjoyable. They were both attentive throughout, ensuring we had everything!!❤️❤️❤️

I had the Full Alchemist, and I highly recommend it. The staff were friendly and attentive, and the food was delicious. The tea was fantastic as well. There was also a cool feature with the tea, fitting the name of the place, but I don’t want to spoil it – you should definitely experience it yourself. A clear recommendation!

Paid £30 got the icon brunch and it was worth every penny! I had 3 amazing cocktails and the food was delicious. I had the loaded bap which was very tasty. We enjoyed it all so much that we went back that very same night for a drink and we'll be certain to visit when we're next in the area

Been here 30mins still waiting for my drink Watched 5 people so far order after me and receive there drinks 1 person serving and taking orders Leeds branch is well better and organised

Waited 25 mins for a drink to be told it was left on the bar this was after I’d paid and tipped the staff. The bar man was very rude but he was overworked so I just got my money back and left

As with all alchemists this one didn't miss the mark

We were looking for a restaurant with traditional fish and chips. We found the closest The Alchemist, a place with atmosphere, noisy, and known for its mixed smoking drinks. We had 2 smoking drinks with gin and for food: fish and panko chicken. The food was tasty and the drinks were very interesting.

I was so excited to be visiting the Alchemist with my Fiancée as we had read very good things. However for me personally it didn’t live up to expectations, whilst the barman was polite and quickly got on with making our drinks (cocktails). He was somewhat slapdash in making them and at a cost of £13+ each I’d expect greater care to be taken, we also ordered food and the fries were overly salted. A bit disappointed overall. Not sure I’d visit again sadly. I’m noticing a theme in a lot of Manchester bars / restaurants these days of tasteful decor / music, with pricey drinks and food which is not backed up with quality.

Visiting Manchester for a quick overnight and was intrigued by what I saw of Alchemist’ cocktail program online. Wife and kids stayed back at hotel so I attempted to pop in for a drink after stopping into Blinker. In spite of no mention of this online, the very douchy bouncer (who was busy flirting with a patron outside) arrogantly told me they don’t allow solo entry and I couldn’t come in. It was Saturday night and the place was pretty dead. I told him I was just interested in sitting at the bar for a quick drink and asked him to explain where it states that rule. He said it’s a general policy at most bars in England. I’ve been to several much better bars in London and one other in Manchester and no one has ever even alluded to this. As an owner of a popular bar back home in the states every other spot I’ve visited on my trip has been hospitable and welcoming. Alchemist, you should be embarrassed. There are too many great bars with outstanding staff and fantastic cocktails in this city. Do yourself a favor and skip alchemist and visit anywhere else.

The drinks were fun, the DJ created a nice vibe. Yet again the bar staff came across as a little arrogant. It's always nice to be corrected by someone you're trying to buy from isn't it? Not a smile to be seen by any of the staff, which was a shame.

Never been to anything like it before! A bit pricey but the cocktails are amazing!! Along with a fabulous atmosphere.

Great foods first time was this place and i enjoyed everything.

Great cocktails, amazing creativity well worth a visit

Music is tad bit too loud, service was great

Excellent food, fab cocktails and an amazing atmosphere. Staff are always friendly and efficient.

Went for a cocktail making party, followed by food. The cocktail host was very instructive, knowledgeable, and patient. We went through step by step and had great fun behind the bar, making some very interesting drinks. The food arrived for a large group without a hitch - we all received our meals together and hot. The waiting staff checked that we had everything before leaving us to enjoy. I would definitely recommend.

We come to Manchester just for this Alchemist. We feel it's the best one out of the ones we've visited across the UK. Something just feels different here and we could honestly spend all day/night here. Food and drinks are great. Décor is sensational (as with all alchemist's).

Came here for the first time , was served my missy , she was amazing and I could not thank her enough for everything she did for us ,we got married last week and she even got us a drink on her ! And wrote congratulations on our receipt! So cute ! Honestly what a girl !! ❤️ Definitely going again!!!

Depresso martini half a glass for £12

Lovely environment and even nicer staff. Really down to earth and amazing food/drinks!! FOH staff, Jamie in particular was really nice to me and my partner wokld definitely recommend

Table service would be much better, and there only seems to be one person serving at a time, meaning sometimes you have to wait and que. The cocktails are the best 👌 and reasonably priced and taste amazing 😍 we always enjoy going to the Alchemist to try a few different cocktails 🍸 😋

Amazing cocktails and great service ✨

I have been in here a few times for cocktails they are amazing 👏

Always a solid meal here. Staff ok (luck of the draw), drinks always the main pull, food good and atmosphere usually pretty lively in a good way. Will keep coming!

Loved it, but it's a bit expensive

Not the cheapest, but the food was pretty tasty (if a little salty) and the service was good

Great food, service and atmosphere. Special mention goes to Jake, 5* service *****

Visited here for drinks. The usual Alchemist warm welcome and atmosphere was present. No queue at the bar which was nice for a Saturday early evening. Good cocktails and cash is accepted!

The most unique way of making cocktails ever! Very nice atmosphere and very quick service.

Cocktail was already mixed ,not much to good didn't taste like an old fashioned at all

Food was terrible like a service. We are waiting out beers more than 25 minutes. We even reminded ourselves twice about the drinks we ordered, but the waiters were in no hurry at all. The food was really for livestock, squid there were dead ones and there was only breading. I have never eaten worse food, I feel sorry for the money spent in your establishment. The chef should be ashamed of himself for such food. Squid were so thin and rubbery that they could not be felt in the mouth I do not recommend this place to anyone, you will leave disappointed and angry.

Lack of service.dirty tables.multiple waiters. The terrace part was left alone

I like this place when it’s not too busy. When it’s busy, be prepared to wait 30+ mins for a drink. We waited over half an hour each time we ordered drinks and found some of the waitresses not that friendly. The “sticky beef nachos ” are literally thin prawn crackers that came soft, not crunchy (picture attached) Tasted like they had just been sat there for 20 minutes going soft. Ridiculous for £13.50 The salt and pepper chips are nice. A lot of the drinks look cool but they don’t taste that good. It’s a handy location before/after shopping but i’d go with the starters rather than the mains.

Oyster cocktails were good but second drinks were very weak and disappointing.

I had my birthday meal here and it was utterly incredible! I had the crispy curried fish and it was one of the nicest meals I've ever had. The staff were amazing, and brought out some chocolates and a candle and sang happy birthday, which took me by surprise. We also had the Cosmic Oysters shots - really unique, definitely recommend them!

The drinks and food here are amazing. The cocktails are very unique, and very tasty. We didn't eat a huge meal but had their salt and pepper chips, and they tasted amazing. Although it was busy, we managed to get a table but would definitely recommend booking a table if you can. The service was amazing. We want to say a huge thank you for our server, Cassie, for the quick and friendly service. 10/10 would recommend!

Interesting place! 🍸🍹 We would just stop for a drink. Very good cocktails with a special presentation. It's worth a stop if you're in Manchester. Visited March 2024.

Visited for my 40th birthday. Lovely atmosphere and decor!

Pricy but probably average for a meal n drinks in centre manchester. Staff great and food was amazing. Squid, onion rings and everything tasted great. Nothing overly spicy on the alchemist sharer. Highly recommend that. We got the squid and onion on top. Great place to go.

Second time in The Alchemist and both times service has not been good...staff are disinterested and look like they don't want to be there...drinks are very good and it's a lovely place..just shame about the staff...

we did the bottomless brunch. we weren’t sure whether to upgrade. they gave us the chance to see whether we wanted to just do the 3 drinks or go unlimited. we decided to go unlimited. we tried a drink that we didn’t like and they were very understanding and got us another straight away. would 100% do this again. special shout out to poppy, Suzy and John. we got around 5 drinks each which was brilliant for a Saturday

As bad as I have ever eaten. Exorbitantly expensive and shockingly bad. The waiter was very friendly but the food was so bad. The pancakes were just grease. The cauliflower was mushy. The gyozas were good. Steak was sliced and dry. Chips were greasy. Steak sandwich awash with mustard The restaurant looks like it needs some assistance from hot soapy water. A cocktail called a French kiss came with a silicone tongue that would turn your stomach. As bad as I have ever eaten anywhere

Amazing service, atmosphere and location. The food and drinks were amazing 👏

Nice staff when you prepare to ordering the food, they always come and asking you if you have any allergies and suggest some option for you to choose with. They will discuss with chef whether they could help you on changing some of the combinations of foods if needed. Great staff!!

Greta place for a drinks to kick off a stay in Manchester. Easy access for wheelchair users. Close to tram stop and parking at Piccadilly NCP.

Had an amazing time here, the drinks and food were delicious, Ivissa and Kiera were excellent servers our entire time here. Will definitely be returning!

10£ ish for 2 cocktails so reasonably priced. Nice venue. Very busy as to be expected as on a Saturday evening but managed to find seating. Outdoor seating is a bit sparce however.

Just brilliant amazing food and lovely staff 😀 well worth the money thank you

Fantastic atmosphere very friendly and fast service.

Very underwhelming. Limited menu and small portions. No veg!! Drinks ridiculous expensive.

Food and drinks amazing as usual

So me and My Fiancee were in Town(Manchester) for my Partners graduation ceremony at Manchester Metropolitan University upon leaving the graduation we jumped in an Uber as it was raining heavily so headed to Alchemist on New York Street. It was our First time at Alchemist but we have always known about the fantastic reviews and food at drink at Alchemist. So we headed in and the Alchemist was absolutely jam packed in both the bar 🍸 and the restaurant but we found a table and my Fiancee ordered a glass of Prosecco and I ordered a Pint of Asahi(Japanese Larger). Service was great, Polite and friendly staff, Very modern interior, Bar and restaurant areas were spotlessly clean, The drinks were crisp, cold and went down a treat. We then ordered 4 Oysters(The Cocktails not the Food), They were served on a tray full of crushed ice in Metal shaped oysters with Passion fruit beads. It was our first time trying the 4 oysters but wow they were really nice, We than drank up and left the bar. 5☆ Fantastic Service, Spotlessly clean, Great selection of food and drinks including spirits, Mocktails, Cocktails, Beers, Wines etc

I think they panned for gold, threw the gold away, and kept the soil! Food was awful, daughters burger was plain and needed seasoning, and I was very disappointed I'm my Cuban sandwich, which was nothing like the description. The drinks were okay and the serving staff very friendly and pleasant. More a place for getting hammered in the evening than a dining experience.

To celebrate our wedding anniversary . Have been to this place quite a few times love the food and drinks . All very polite and never in a rush The place have mirrors all very clean and tidy. This place should be 5 star rated.

We went here for a hen do to the cocktail masterclass they host. Mitch did an incredible job of making it fun, and really made the bride feel special. One person did a mocktail masterclass that looked just as fun (if not more fun!) than the alcoholic version. Thanks for a great evening 😊

The food was lovely and the decor was beautiful, I just feel let down that I wasn't allowed to order dessert as they needed me to leave so other people could have the table

It was very nice there! We went there twice and ordered different cocktails. The cocktails with one eye are very cool, sometimes there is steam, sometimes bubbles, sometimes something else. Very cool. The service was very friendly and the cocktails came quickly. Ambience great! We had Top Notch, Dead Red Zombie (recommended), Lightbulb Moment and The Legal One (tasty but hard to drink in a bong)

Incredible experience Great show and celebration of cocktails like I've experienced with sparkling wines before. The individual drinks were also perfectly coordinated and a well-rounded affair. Not only was the production and presentation very strong, but also the entire ambience and attention to detail.

In fairness, I was taken for a corporate event, and if you like to look at people opening and closing their mouths without knowing what they are saying, this is the place for you. Nowhere to sit unless you are a former gymnast under the age of 35, this is not your place. Manchester, where are all places where you can meet people and socialise. Apologies to The Alchemist, but I am a dinosaur who likes to talk to the people around me.