The Counter House in Manchester

Wow, what an amazing experience. The Sunday roast was out of this world. It was a sunny day, so we were able to sit outside and enjoy the sun while we ate. Well worth the money! Thanks, guys.

Excelente servicio amable. El restaurante tiene un ambiente encantador. El entrante de los palitos de Halloumi era delicioso y súper lleno. La lenteja Dhal estaba deliciosa. Lo recomendaría encarecidamente.

Honestly this place was amazing. The Sunday roast was perfection, Shannon was lovely and really friendly. It’s young and hip but very traditional in their customer experience. I couldn’t recommend it enough.

Wow Gran almuerzo de domingo en este lugar Carne de res con budines de yorkshire para morir Gran servicio también con un ambiente increíble y música Sin duda volveré

Brilliant vibe. Cool artwork, excellent music, great service and yummmmy comfort food - THE SUNDAY ROAST! If you’re into a good roast meal (both chicken and beef) then you cannot come to Manchester and not eat here.

Calm and chilling atmosphere. Great customer service. Delicious 😋

Great food, service and Atmosphere. 4th visit and never let us down.

Entré un viernes por la noche para la cena, el servicio era genial, la comida llegó rápido y era delicioso, sin duda volveré a ir.

Came here for a Sunday roast (in late July) and it was everything you could want from a roast!! Perfect Yorkshire pudding, perfectly cooked meats and delicious sides + thick gravy to bring it all together. We brought some friends here who were visiting the UK for the first time and it did not disappoint! Would highly recommend this for anyone looking for a great Sunday roast in Manchester! Although not the cheapest but it’s totally worth it :)

Excellent Sunday Roast here - both the chicken and vegan roasts went down very well with the group!

Visité The Counter House sin reserva, pero tuve la suerte de conseguir un asiento en el bar. El ambiente, el servicio y la comida eran increíbles. Definitivamente recomiendo los tacos de carne y deslizadores de pescado. El personal era muy atento y amable y fue genial ver la deliciosa comida que se prepara. Lugar ideal para comer antes de los eventos en el estadio en vivo Coop.

Food is always top, staff are always friendly and I recommend to all my family & friends!

Three of us dropped in quite late on Sunday evening, great atmosphere and the roasts were excellent. Staff and service were 10/10, the restaurant owner just as attentive. We still had wine to drink as the restaurant was closing but they allowed us to stay to finish as they closed up, without any fuss. A really nice place and no wonder it was so busy, places like this deserve to do well.

Excellent service and very good Sunday roast

Went for lunch , party of 5, service was great, a really good choice of food on the menu, and each dish didn't dissapoint. However the drinks were expensive especially the wine, and the 17 pounds service charge, we thought excessive. Which meant 80 pounds from the 180 bill was drinks and service. Shame it wasn't a bit more reasonable, but still a good lunch.

Hadn’t visited in a while and came for lunch. Was really disappointed by the portion sizes and wasn’t reflected in the price at all. Paid £13.80 for pil pil prawns that was listed as a main. It came with 5 prawns and a slither of sourdough. Starter portions with mains prices. £4.30 for a half pint of coke zero that was all ice. Lastly, we weren’t offered menus and were told we needed to google the menu to look.

Chicken is dry and blend. Roast potato is powdery(not sure if this is how you describe it) and not crispy at all. Yorkshire pudding is like a bread (difficult to chew even!) Staff is very nice tho and atmosphere as well!

Lovely Sunday roast and nice atmosphere

What a great place, we went with friends and the staff there couldn’t do enough for us, this linked with excellent food made for a fantastic night out, we’ll revisit

The Counter House is a large restaurant with both internal and external seating. Food is good and service also good from Experienced servers. Liked it!

Very good place with very nice people.

Such a lovely spot - cannot be missed! Wonderful atmosphere and such a lovely set of staff. Definitely check it out if you’re in Manchester.

Most amazing atmosphere for some chill drinks, loveliest bar staff! Couldn’t do enough for us, so chatty and friendly, can’t wait to come back again!

Really nice food. I've got the beef taco and that was delicious, also the beautiful sauce coming with it, very good. My friends got sunday roast and were pretty pleased as well.

Sat at the bar with some friends for a few early evening drinks, the most amazing staff, couldn’t do enough for us! Funny, chatty and friendly! Must be added to your regular go to spots, the coolest vibe

Wow what can I say, amazing vibe with the most helpful staff. Food is amazing and the drinks are there to rival it. A must try!

Wow. Impeccable food, the chefs are super talented. The staff have an amazing energy and the entire place has a beautiful atmosphere. Not to mention the bar staff who make a mean bloody mary

What a place! Cannot be missed if you’re in Manchester, such a lovely atmosphere and experience. The staff are all super lovely and absolutely make the trip here!

The counter house never fails to impress, a versatile menu with amazing small plates and great cocktails! Never a bad meal here!

Absolutely loved this place, we bobbed in for some breakfast and I'm glad we did. The guys are really nice and friendly, the food we had was spot on. I'll go as far as saying this is up there was one of the best spots in Manchester. Loved the décor too. We'll return again :)

Good food! Nice attention!! Excelent!

Good place for a catch up with friends. Good selection of freshly blended smoothies, cocktails and great food. I had the chicken curry and it was lovely.

Very nice delicious food friendly staff

TCH is a great spot, in one of my favourite squares in Manchester City centre. They have a relatively small menu but with something to suit most palettes. We walked in and were able to choose a table inside or out. I had the fish and chips, they were great genuinely some of the best chips! The staff were lovely too. My only improvement/ suggestions would be that the outdoor tables could do with a QR code to scan that would take you to the menu,.

We booked a large table in for a Sunday lunch. Most of the table had one of the roasts, which everyone loved. The portion was generous - especially the Yorkshires, which were huge! I had the beef taco which was delicious. The restaurant was really cool and had a great vibe. They had lots of outdoor seating as well. I’d definitely recommend and will return if ever back in Manc!

Really disappointed with my experience here. I chose this place to eat with a group from the great reviews and as a coeliac there were plenty of gluten free items on the menu, however when I double-checked as I was ordering, many of the GF items were not safe at all due to preparation methods, including the chips which are fried in the same fryer as wheat products therefore are not gluten free at all. Secondly the service outside was incredibly slow, we waited an hour to get our first drinks and even longer for food. We also had to pay our whole bill including service charge before anything had even arrived. Finally the food was very underwhelming- while the menu items sound nice, the flavour you would expect just wasn’t there. I had the beef short rib taco, which was very small for £10.8, and I also found a piece of tin foil in my pot of birria sauce. When I pointed this out to the waiter he just took my plate away and didn’t return to the table. Perhaps we were unlucky and came on a bad day, but one of the worst meals out I’ve had in a long time.

I've been here a few times now and think it's one of the best restaurants in Manchester, for a few reasons. The menu is varied (with veggie options too), the portion sizes are generous and each time I've been the food has been delicious. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, with friendly staff that have always made my experience memorable and enjoyable. There's also plenty of drinks to choose from, whether you're looking for a cocktail or something alcohol free. The music is good, and I love that they've chosen to uplift local artists by displaying their work. Overall, it's a great spot in a unique area of Manchester. If you're looking for somewhere to eat, definitely go here.

Roast dinner is huge and offers veggie option too

Great food, very attentive service. It is just a bit pricey. Gave us extra flatbread without asking then charged us £2.50 for it (we spent £250 can we not have a bit of extra bread for free). £4.80 for a blackcurrant and soda? Bonkers

Came here on a whim with some friends on a short trip to Manchester and we were so thankful that we did. The staff were very attentive and quickly accommodated us on short notice. Honestly one of the best brunch spots I’ve ever been to, the food was insane and the service matched that. A special mention to the guy with the moustache, the guy with talking heads tshirt and the lady that was a swiftie. All 3 were so authentically kind and made the experience great. Thank you guys ! 10/10

Always fantastic good here and the owner is absolutely lovely. Already a regular whenever I'm in the area.

Food, staff and vibes so lovely. Would recommend to anyone !!

we had a great meal here, the tapas style plates are not only excellent quality, but larger than we expected ( all eaten though!) very generous portions, we would probably order a plate or two less next time. hard to pick a favourite, but the hummus is excellent and the lamb dish. Efficient, friendly service from Nathan and Harrison does a very good job under pressure at the bar.

Food was great, atmosphere busy but laid back in the best way. Service was top notch, stunning Harry Styles lookalike waiter

Wouldn’t seat two of us because they wanted to keep the tables free for bigger groups… thought he was joking when he said it.

Sat down at a 4 person table, got asked to move and stand until a 2 seat table became available. We said we would be happy to move as soon as one got available, but were asked to leave the table and stand. Well done, you made £20 more.

First time visiting last week and the whole experience was wonderful. The service was top, the food was so delicious and there was just a wonderful relaxed vibe. 10/10 would recommend to everyone.

TRULY the place to be in Ancoats Square! Brilliant service, exquisite food delivered quickly, and a great array of wines to choose from! Absolutely splash on a bottle of the Chateau de Caravettes if you come here!

A beautiful restaurant with a great atmosphere ! I went there with my friends last Sunday for a roast and it was delicious. Would definitely recommend!!!

Went for the Sunday roast.. food came near to cold and very bland. Forgot to put potatoes on one plate & asked for sauces which took 15 minutes to come by which time food was finished. No communication in the place - we were asked by 4 different staff members about drinks in the space of 10 minutes which was frustrating Only thing good was the atmosphere

I was very disappointed with the dessert that was brought to me. I ordered a brownie, which should be warm and with liquid chocolate inside. They brought me a dry chocolate cake. When I pointed out that it didn't look like a brownie at all, the waitress simply offered to take it away. Of course, we paid for it.

Had a fantastic roast dinner last Sunday. It was very busy due to the nice weather so was full inside and out. The food was amazing, really did not dissapoint. Will certaintly head back there when the weather is good again as it was lovely to be able to sit and dine outside.

Went there with my family. Son and daughter-in-law’s roast chicken looked great but a bit too large for me so I went for fish tacos. Very disappointed as the fish was dry and some bits were really hard as if the dish had been reheated in the microwave. I should have said something but it was a nice family occasion and didn’t want to make a fuss. Everything else was good - the service, the music which, although quite loud, was back to sixties but even my 15 year old granddaughter knew! My son had been there before and commented it seemed quiet for a Sunday. I would give it another try. Prices on the high side as it was just short of £100 for four of us with no alcoholic drinks.

I travelled to Manchester by train from the Midlands to visit my son and his husband who have recently moved there from West London. Fancied a treat so after googling 'Best Sunday Lunch in Manchester ' found this place, reviews looked generally excellent so went ahead and booked it. Boy, are we glad we did !! Arrived a few minutes earlier than our scheduled time, but the table was ready and we were shown straight to it. Ordered drinks more of less immediately, the waiter recommended a pilsner lager for the lads, I love a g and t and was intrigued to try the Manchester Raspberry Gin so ordered that. It was, tbh, a bit weird tasting, but I'm glad I tried it, although in future I'll stick with a classic dry gin. The waiter upsold us a couple of starters, halloumi with an amazing dipping sauce and Houmous with flatbread. Both dishes were terrific, the dipping sauce incredible not quite enough grilled flatbread to accompany the very generous amount of Houmous. Being a bit greedy, and wanting to try a variety of taste experiences, we ordered two further starters, padron peppers and some cauliflower bites which came with THAT dipping sauce again. Really, they should bottle that stuff it was so delicious. Again, everything so far was really delicious. Had Meg Ryan come here for lunch rather than Katz Deli she would have been Yes Yes Yessing all the way along!! The three of us ordered the roast beef dinner, we found the beef a little on the chewy side, accompanying vegetables all good even if one plate was missing the mashed swede. No matter, this minor oversight didn't detract from a most brilliant experience. Yorkshire puddings were ginormous and perfect. The waiter whose name I didn't catch but I think he was a Greek guy recommended a choice of two different red wines to drink with the beef, Chose the more expensive one, we all agreed it was perfect. Rounded off the meal with chocolate brownie for son in law and affogato for me, I'm a bit of a lightweight and had really consumed enough alcohol by this stage so resisted the recommended addition of amaretto with my dessert. We would very happily make a return trip!!

Delicious food, lovely setting. Server is very personable and kind. We visited the restaurant 3 times. Loved the sticky toffee pudding.

Another fabulous meal at The Counter House. Staff are attentive without being overbearing. Brilliant selection of cocktails and beers. We had a great evening. Thank you

Slightly surprised we didn’t have to book. Maybe it’s the plethora of eateries in Ancoats. Anyway we sauntered in and weee greeted and thereafter looked after superbly by what appeared to be the front of house person (perhaps Saturday lunch is always quiet for them). Wuu on old we like a drink to start while we peruse the menu? A nice glass of white wine perhaps? We don’t drink. In that case perhaps a freshly prepared pressed drink - an Awakener, with pressed ginger juice, something something pineapple and cranberry. Ooh yes that sounds perfect. And it was bloody delicious. Chap didn’t skip a beat in between offering the wine, getting a no, and recommending something that is clearly a specialism (they have the Awakener, the Stand Tall and the Healer aka John Lee Hooker). Fish and chips was the food - amazing slab of coley with Alhambra beer batter (didn’t ask but the chips outer crunch had either picked up some of that flavoursome beer in the oil, or the oil itself was imparting a hint of yum). Don’t know why we both went for F&C but no regrets. Will go back for a Sunday roast we reckon. Amazing Galician perry & pineapple cider too - not at all like those sickly Old Mout or Rekorderlig abominations. We didn’t go adventurous on the puddings either but the ice creams are tip top. Excellent cortado making skills too (we reckoned the front of house dude is Andalusian so knows his cortado from his cappuccino). 5 stars

Been a few times.. you need to book otherwise you'll have a long wait. Food and service is great 👍🏻

I don’t normally review however I feel this place absolutely requires a recommendation. We had a selection of small plates that were incredible in flavour, all so fresh and different. The service was fantastic and it made our night. Definitely try this place if you can.

Housed in a refurbished warehouse that seamlessly blends industrial charm with contemporary elegance. As we stepped through its doors, we are greeted by an inviting and vibrant atmosphere, where the echoes of the building's industrial past harmonize with modern design elements and a warm ambiance. The exposed brick walls, polished concrete floors, and soaring ceilings create a spacious yet intimate setting, enhanced by an eclectic mix of furnishings, including plush sofas, communal tables, and cozy nooks. The décor is punctuated by pops of color, botanical accents, and striking artwork, contributing to the restaurant's vibrant and inviting aesthetic. The heart of The Counter House lies in its innovative and diverse menu, which celebrates flavors from around the globe while embracing locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. From indulgent brunch offerings like brioche French toast with caramelized bananas to inventive small plates such as crispy cauliflower bites with tahini dip, each dish is a masterpiece of culinary creativity and craftsmanship. At the heart of The Counter House's ethos is a commitment to sustainability and community engagement, reflected in its partnerships with local farmers, producers, and artisans. This dedication to supporting the local economy and reducing environmental impact adds depth and meaning to the dining experience, allowing guests to feel a sense of connection and purpose with each bite.

Sunday roast was the best I ever had! The atmosphere is modern and sleek. My nephew had the shrimp and was also amazing! When I am back in Manchester, I will return! Thank you for an amazing Sunday lunch!

Best Sunday roast in the area. We visited The Counter House for a Sunday roast dinner and it did not disappoint. The food was fantastic quality. The service was great. Booking is definitely recommended as the place filled up quickly as soon as it opened.

Fantastic place to go for some food or drinks, staff were top notch in terms of service / attentiveness and the food was amazing.

First time at The Counter House recently, as somebody new to the area, and I was beyond impressed! Food was just brilliant, hot and tasty, small plates perfect for sharing with friends, and service was immense! Staff were fab, so sweet, really took care of us and had a good giggle with them! Can’t wait to come back and try the famous Sunday Roast! ❣️

Came in for a meal with my partner and family. The service was amazing from start to finish, staff knowledgable about everything on the menu and their friendliness made us feel so relaxed. Lots of choices on the menu, we went for lots of small plates tapas style. This style of dining along with the ambience and feel of the place made for one of the best dining experiences we’ve ever had! They also have a gorgeous range of cocktails and were able and willing to make pretty much any drink to our taste. We will definitely be back again soon!

This is mine and my families favourite restaurant by far in manchester. Best Sunday roasts enjoyed by us all - kids and adults and always practically lick our plates! We come here so often as it has such a lovely friendly vibe, high and consistent standard of food, clean and fresh environment. We are all huge fans! Thanks to The counter house for many special family times 🥰🥰🥰

Fantastic experience. We brought the kids for a Sunday roast and they are super picky about where they eat. The food was incredible, probably the best roast I’ve had in years. The ambience was lovely, very vibrant. The staff were amazing. I can’t rate it highly enough. We’ll definitely be coming back again to try out the rest of the menu, which looked amazing too.

Came for quick spot of brunch while shopping in town and highly recommend ! Didn’t have a booking but I got seated straight away, food arrived in 15 mins and was delicious. The couple next to me suggested I should come back for the Sunday roast as it’s apparently the best in Manchester so will have to return, great friendly staff ⭐️

First of all the service was outstanding. The staff and chefs were very personable and welcoming. The food was excellent and the drinks were great too. It was pricey but when you get quality product and service you can’t complain. Will 100% visit again.

Called in here early today for breakfast.......I needed the toilet so went straight there......As I was leaving I saw 4/5 mice running from the kitchen area......I immediately decided to go elsewhere

Wonderful ambience and food, but more importantly, te greatest service ever. Panos was very attentive to what we needed and he demonstrated great knowledge of wine. Thank you very much, we will certainly be back again.

One of the best places for food in Manchester and I went there 2 times in 1 night. The servers were extremely nice. My favorite was the pan fried salmon and the sirloin steak. Absolutely amazing. 5/5 ⭐️

One of the tastiest gafs in town. Staff are all sound and really helpful, drinks are good, food is spot on can’t go wrong there. 10/10 every time

We came in as a large group and although we were told we would be on two adjacent tables we weren’t told we couldn’t push them together and as it was laid out was not at all conducive to conversation across the tables, which was a shame. They shouldn’t accept bookings over a certain size if they aren’t going to let people sit together. The food was sensational and I enjoyed it. The service for initial drinks and food was ok but after that I really struggled to get anyone’s attention to order more drinks so I gave up and walked to the bar. They did also let us go over our time by quite a bit so I did appreciate that.

I had- hummus, fish tacos, fries, sauvignon blanc. So, so fresh and tasty. Attentive, relaxed service. Great atmosphere. Staying in Manchester for a gig and so glad we found here!

Had a fantastic Sunday roast here. Service was brilliant, quick and attentive. Food was super tasty (Yorkshire puddings were ginormous!). 10/10 and definitely a must if you are looking for a Sunday roast in Manchester!

Dined as a family for Sunday roast, absolutely fantastic! Roast Beef was soft and tasty, gravy was very flavourful. The sticky toffee pudding was also delicious!

What a great find! Understated, in the best sense; incredibly friendly owner and waiting staff, who were top-notch observant and attentive. Simple menu, with great-tasting food, at a very reachable price point. Nice, relaxed, green-ish/industrial-ish environment. One star mark-down, because, having chosen a smaller meal (fish taco with straw fries), it then became 'tapas', and couldn't be delivered all together?? It meant we all got our meals at slightly staggered times, which wasn't great. Maybe a small point, but I'm sure it's solvable. Otherwise, a really great experience: I would go there again, without hesitation.

Nice place to have a cocktail. Sat at the counter and nice cocktails which were well made

We came for Saturday brunch. The food took an hour to be served. When it arrived the breakfast was good, though they missed an egg so the server had to bring it 5 mins later, the toast was dry, not buttered and no butter provided. I had the cali hash. My egg was over cooked as was the bacon, the whole dish seriously lacked seasoning, but was resolved with plenty of salt at the table. The menu, staff and location have the ability to be absolutely outstanding but the kitchen need speed and to actually taste their food, seasoning is an absolute basic.

We booked ahead and were quickly shown to our table on a busy Saturday evening. The ambience was great with chilled music and some great artwork on display. We were recommended a great Spanish wine from Galicia which was excellent and then perused the menu which is displayed on a small tablet. Although not huge there is plenty of choice on the menu with a combination of small and large plates. We started with pardon peppers and skewers, followed by a chicken curry and salmon dish which was cooked to perfection. The curry flavours were superb with lemongrass and ginger combining to produce a memorable dish. We managed to make room for desert with the sticky toffee pudding being described as excellent by my partner. The staff are both knowledgeable and attentive which helped to make the meal really enjoyable.

As with many Manchester restaurants in January, the Counter House is offering a significant (30%) discount on food & drink so decided to try it for dinner with my wife & daughter. Overall we had a very enjoyable meal. We made the right decision by ordering several of the small plates and one large plate between us, which meant we could sample more of their food. We ordered the fish taco, beef taco, lamb flatbread, halloumi chips & king prawn from their small plates selection and their chicken curry from their large plate selection. We also ended the meal with their indulgent & delicious bread and butter pudding. The atmosphere inside is casual elegant. I liked the layout of the restaurant especially the wall to wall counter, which on one end contained the bar and on the other the kitchen. The rest of the space was utilized for the restaurant in a clean open plan formation. Everything we ordered was very good. My fav dish was the lamb flatbread but I enjoyed everything else too. I’d definitely go back again. Our total bill for 3 people was £75 (after discount & including service charge) which for the quality of food we had is incredibly good value for money. Highly recommended!

Great place and they also let you bring your dog. 🐕 Thank you

THE 2nd BEST BURGER IN MANCHESTER!! Tuesday night out in Manchester and we went here for tea and we can honestly say THE BEST BURGER IN MANCHESTER! The service was amazing, very nice chilling atmosphere with the selection of music. We had padron peppers to start with The counter house burger and we absolutely recommend it 💯😋

Can't fault on anything the staff couldn't do enough to help you we had the roast beef dinner can't wait to come back

We had a night out here in January as they had a 30% off drinks and food offer which was found through an online newspaper review. However, (and be warned!) I booked through the website from a link in that review, and should have included the words 'January offer' in the text box when I booked - unfortunately I didn't. Needless to say, when the bill came we were charged the full price. Queried this with the staff but they were very unhelpful and refused to give us the 30% discount! A very odd thing for the restaurant to do given the January offers are there to get people through the door during a usually quiet month and entice them to come back. No offer to even split the difference or knock a dish off the bill. Surely, a venue either has an offer on in January and makes it available to all their clientele or they don't! So, needless to say, we ended up paying full price and five very disappointed ladies left the venue and won't now go back there again which is a real shame as the food was lovely - tasty and beautifully presented, and the waiting-on staff were good too. Such very, very poor customer service which definitely left a bitter taste!

Very friendly staff, great food, nice atmosphere at a very reasonable price!

Last minute reservation needed and the staff were so helpful and accommodating. will definitely visit again.

Great food and atmosphere, I would have given full marks ... but my pet hate, NO MENUS! Just a tablet to scroll through and share. Grrrr Please guys, it's not such a big deal to print off a few sheets of paper.

How have i only just found the Counter House! Ancoats really does have some great spots, such a different pace to the other parts of time, laid back but you can tell they care. Will be back for sure.

Thank you guys! We were a family of 8 for Sunday lunch. It was my grandmas 80th. They treated her like a queen! her first meal out for some time, but she loved every minute of it (and the attention they all gave her!). We no longer live in the area, but will be back when we're next in Manchester.

We popped in for snacks on a Monday. It was surprisingly busy for the start of the week, but the weather was nice that evening. Some really nice choices, not an enormous menu but plenty of favourites and very well priced, in particular in the current climate. The coffee was very good too, which in my view also says a lot about a place.

What a find. Lovely atmosphere, great food & service. Perfect venue for a family celebration.

Was in midweek for dinner, we were lucky enough to catch the good weather. We felt like we were on the continent. Really nice neighbourhood and a lovely restaurant.

My go to place now in the city! The place is definitely informal, but boy are they on it. Give it a go if you haven't already

Just popped in for after work cocktails, I had the uncle wrays rum punch...and yes it packed a punch! Couldn't stay for long as we already had dinner plans elsewhere, but will be back to try more soon.

Fantastic meal. For a lunchtime it would be good if there was a set menu, maybe just an idea.

We’d reserved and received a good welcome. Not massive fans of menus on tablets rather than printed but guess it’s easier to change things. The manager and waitress were running around and delivered great service. Had small eats with a friend; 2 beef tacos with rich gravy and one fish taco, both brilliant. Straw fries were ok, wish we’d had the regular ones we saw on another table. Recommended wines were a perfect match. Coffees to finish also strong and hot. Lovely place and we’ll be back.

Was our first time visiting TCH & what a lovely experience! Found the staff friendly & the atmosphere was incredible! The food was beautiful, both me & partner enjoyed everything we tried. The katsu was outstanding!

One of the best restaurants in the area. Full of energy and the food is always great!!!