The Alchemist in Manchester

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

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

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

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

Music is tad bit too loud, service was great

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.

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

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

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

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

Fantastic atmosphere very friendly and fast service.

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.

Really busy and overly warm. We ordered drinks and had to chase them up at least twice on every round. Food service was so quick we got our starters well ahead of our first drinks.

Highly recommended, lovely atmosphere, staff and drinks :)

Came for breakfast very hungover, we was served by the wonderful girl from Kent, she made us all feel welcome & took time to discuss our night out, she even suggested options on the menu! The food itself was spot on & the non spicy bloody mary was a goid heir of the dog!

Cool drinks and great ambience. The staff is very friendly.

Decent bar, but in my first-hand experience can be a hotspot for petty crime (theft). Keep your eye on your stuff.

I went here for dinner and drinks and had a great time, our server Kane made us feel very welcome and comfortable. The service was very professional and efficient. We didn’t wait long for our food and the drinks were very quick. I would definitely recommend and I will be back again.

Just what you would expect from an Alchemist Bar; good atmosphere and surroundings, with a particularly excellent Brixton Pale Ale.

Food and drinks were good but our service was not. Are server took our order and then never came back to the table. We watched her chat with the other staff the whole time and another server checked us out. Don’t think I would return because of this.

Food was great, small plate options are nice to pick a few and share with friends, the drinks were a little underwhelming

Pre booked a table for food on a weekend, didnt have to wait too long for food even though it was busy. Friendly and helpful staff. Cocktails/food delicious

Taking cocktails to a new level and great nibble food

Wow just amazing!!! Love the vibe the decor. It feels like your in a science lab. The cocktails were amazing. The music the ambience. Everything was perfect.

The best cocktails in Manchester (creativity and originality at the top) Good atmosphere and good music

Excellent bar and the refurb is top notch.

Friday Early Evening 1st March Our server was Missy. Absolutely fantastic, attentive, polite and had great recommendations for cocktails! Thank you for making it a lovely experience!

Not overly keen on this one been to one in another town which was much better

Visited here on Saturday and you never know what cocktail you may try. I opted for the Jaffa cake cup - it was gorgeous and had an edible cup. The staff are always friendly and can advise you on a cocktail if you cannot choose

Plenty of drinks to choose from

Lovely waitress who first spoke to us, sat at the bar as only wanted drinks, bartender was horrific. Never met someone with worse customer service in my life, I get people have off days but this must have been the worst day anyone has ever experienced. He is the reason we will not return.

Not having enough stock for your listed cocktails at a cocktail bar is not a good look

I ve been here twice just to have few cocktails and i really enjoyed. The restaurant is beautiful,the service and the knowledge of the bartenders is top. There are a lot of choices on the drink menu and most of them has an amazing presentation. Never had chance to try the food but I will defitenely come back

Make sure to book a table in advance. Highly recommend. I went here on Valentines for a birthday meal, cutest surprise from my boyfriend!!

If your after fancy cocktails served in crazy vesicles. This is the place to go.

Everything was perfect, minus the small girl at front of house! Terrible attitude could crack a smile didn’t look like she want to be there. Everyone else was perfect so friendly and welcoming

The food was gorgeous and the drinks even more so! I managed to get a ‘Solero’ my favourite cocktail that they’ve unfortunately scrapped from the menu. The wait and bar staff are all very eager to make you any drink you’d fancy as they are all trained in classic cocktail making, so even if there isn’t your favourite on the menu don’t be afraid to ask for it and I’m sure they’ll be able to make it for you This has and will always remain my favourite cocktail bar. Can’t wait to visit again soon!

Absolutely love this place, can't fault it at all..

The best cocktails in the world

A little let down when we visited on a Friday night. We had been to the Alchemist in Edinburgh previously, so thought that this would be the sale type, but it just didn't have the vibes of Edinburgh. Not much bar flaring going on, no happy chatty staff. Ah well, back to Edinburgh in December and to the Alchemist there

You can't just go everything is excellent

Always fantastic. driven by amazing service.

Really disappointing visit. Had booked as part of the birthday offer, using the correct link sent to me via email. Our initial server was very friendly and even asked whose birthday we were celebrating, so I knew the booking had gone through correctly in order to qualify for the free birthday main dish. The drinks were very strong but nice, however only one was explained to us. We then had a different server who just threw the drinks on the table and walked off. We also found this particular restaurant didn’t include the theatrics with our main dishes that we’d experienced at other locations, despite ordering the same things from the menu. Food was nice but it’s probably hard to get chicken tenders and chips wrong. I happened to be in the toilet when my partner paid the bill, and upon discussing it with him later it turned out we hadn’t been given the birthday offer and had paid full price. We would have booked elsewhere if not for the offer, so it was disappointing and also a warning for others to double check the bill. I mean especially when the drinks are so strong, it’s easy to miss and for the establishment to take advantage! Won’t return unfortunately, perhaps we have been lucky with the previous Alchemist we visited.

I love this place. First went to the one in Chester and loved that one as well. Great drinks and good staffing. Get the smokey old fashioned and thank me later!

Me and my partner decided to dine here for our anniversary but the overall experience was extremely underwhelming. The service itself was pretty slow, lack of attention all in all. The food was "okay", our starters (sharing platter) had potatoes that were heavily salted, to the point you could see a layer of salt on them rather than a sprinkle; mains were underwhelming, my partner had the "tempura" hake and it clearly wasn't tempura but instead a normal batter, I had the smoke board with picanha and was a touch bit surprised to see 8 thin pieces of steak after paying £22 for it. We did try to be as understanding about the service / wait-time as I'm a chef myself and my partner works as a barmaid and a waitress. At the end of the day, I'm not saying the place is horrible, we loved the one in Leeds primarily for the drinks and thought we'd try out the food here tonight to celebrate a special day for us, but with the quality of service we just experienced, i think we'll just stick to the drinks next time.

Took 3 tries to get the £27 fillet steak (rare) right (1st one well over done, one fridge cold in the middle). The cocktails and service was great though

Lovely drinks, and absolutely above and beyond service by George. Wasn't prompted at all to leave a review, but felt I should given his attentive service and knowledge of the menu.

Visited early evening but it quickly filled up with some large parties. Amazing food and overall experience was fantastic, but a minor issue with service. Main courses were not served together and a side came after that. Overall a wow experience.

This is a fun place for carefully thought out non-alcoholic cocktails. It was a nice change to the juice that most bars serve.

They didn't let us in as they said that we needed to book it in advance!! The place was half empty!

Absolutely loved this place. First time here and when we arrived we were able to get the last two chairs at the cocktail bar so were able to watch the theatre of cocktail making. We had the most fab cocktails which we thoroughly enjoyed. Can definitely recommend the Brulee Vouz and French Kiss, but the Margarita and the Lava Lamp were also delicious. The bar man was so busy, but still had time for a quick chat to explain ingredients if you were unsure, and also time for a laugh. How they remember what goes in which cocktail while customers talk to them is beyond me, but it was just a fantastic place, and when next in Manchester we will be back, and will try the food too. We had a booking elsewhere for dinner otherwise we would have tried it that evening.

Fabulous place. We have been twice over two days, both as a couple and with our children. The first night was just us in the evening and enjoyed various cocktails which were amazing to watch and tasted great. The second day we went back with our children for lunch and enjoyed a meal with two cocktails. The use of dry ice and lights, make these cocktails fun and exciting. No children are allowed past 8pm and no dry ice can be added to cocktails for under 18’s. They also add a £1 for the local charity on to the bill.

Fantastic ambience, dazzle and staff!

Gehobenes Restaurant mit entsprechenden Preisen , dabei mit großer Cocktail Auswahl

Excellent bar, great cocktails and fantastic service

We have tried the non alcoholic drink and some food. Food was ok and the drink was interesting to see what will happen. We arrived an hour too early, but been organised a seat pretty quickly, which we appreciated. We didn’t stay for a long time, but I think it’s nice place overall.