The French in Manchester

The food and staff were fabulous the four of us loved this experience like no other. Adam himself is a lovely chatty guy whose love for food clearly shows. Love to go again soon.

Very little to fault with this restaurant and I’m at a loss as to why this excellent Manchester culinary institution doesn’t have a Michelin star. We had the 10 course tasting menu and every dish was outstanding. The beef tartare, Orkney scallop and red deer dishes will remain seared in my memory for many years! I also appreciated head chef Blaze’s gracious engagement and time with with us and for explaining the inspiration behind the menu and recipes; which is a unique tribute to North West England ingredients and livestock. Particularly interesting are the long standing collaborations between the restaurant & several high quality local farms for produce; which could clearly be tasted in the food. The interiors are designed around the original features of the 1903 restaurant - The French - with contemporary features integrated tastefully into the overall design. Overall the restaurant has the air of understated and subtle luxury. If you’re in or around Manchester and have a passion for food, or a special occasion or both, this restaurant is an absolute must visit.

What an amazing experience. Go early and spend 3 hours being treated to amazing food and drink pairing. Probably one of the best, if not the best, dining experiences we have ever had.

The essentials in a nutshell. In a classic British modern ambience. Top class. Thank you for the successful evening.

Was told once we arrived at the Restaurant that they were fully booked as - and I quote "we don't pick up the phone and rarely check e-mails"! Not good for business, I would think. Had a much better meal at Gio's Italian Restaurant across the road.

Really enjoyed the food and drink pairings quite unique, delicious. Great hotel too.

don’t usually go back to the same “fine dining” type restaurant twice, or if I do it’s after a few years, but this week it was the second time I visited the French in just over a year, which should be saying something already. It was refreshing to see that the signature menu had changed enough to make this second visit a brand new experience, while not changing enough to make the restaurant unrecognisable from the one we first experienced and loved - and the current menu offers in my opinion more showstoppers than the already excellent previous one did. Staff are extremely attentive, very personable, and very comfortable talking about their own personal preferences with diners as if on the same “culinary level” as them. Adam Reid himself has been around both times we’ve been and is a pleasure to interact with. The setting being the Midland hotel also obviously adds to the experience, but staff do a very good job not to make it all feel overly formal. And we always leave full, which is not always to be taken for granted! All in all, better than many more celebrated (and starred) restaurants I’ve been to and will definitely be going back soon once again

Absolutely amazing, don’t do tasting menus very often, but have always wanted to try here, 12 courses with the tipsy drinks pairing, very enlightening, afew drinks I didn’t really enjoy but appreciated they went with the course/food, delightful & friendly staff, stylish venue highly recommended & will definitely return totally delish….. mouths watering just thinking about it 😋😍😋🤣

Many a "Wow! That's amazing!" was uttered during our visit to Adam Reid at The French. We experienced the Signature menu paired with the wine package. I cannot commend the team at Adam Reid at The French highly enough. They are incredibly talented and their passion for fine dining was evident throughout the meal. Each dish was brought to the table by the person who had prepared it. A full explanation of each dish's provenance and what had inspired it was provided for us. Same for the wine package. There was no pretention or pompousness, just genuine enthusiasm and a desire to provide guests with the best possible dining experience. There wasn't a single dish we did not enjoy, but for me the stand out ones were: not an average cheese and onion pie (melt in the mouth cheesy deliciousness), the Scottish scallop, the Rhug Estate organic white chicken and the Martin's washed rind cheese. The interior of The French is dark and moody, probably because it's like a little capsule inside the hotel. I love that the original art nouveaux doors remain unchanged and the large crystal chandeliers are jawdroppingly beautiful. As we dined, we realised it was at least 20 years since our last visit to The French. It has changed considerably since then, but definitely for the better. All that's missing - IMHO - is a Michelin star. Personally I think it deserves one.

One of my favourite meals of the year. Expertly refined yet homely, rustic and comforting. Great service. Fair price. The Midland is a beautiful setting for a restaurant too. Top class. God works through this team.

Having had a 12 taster menu with pairing wine which to be fair was excellent. I am trying to book for December 2024 unfortunately the on line booking won’t allow me to. I have rang The Midland 4 times recently to be it through to The French but only get an answer machine. I have emailed to Adam Reid @thefrench but no return call or email. We are staying at The Midland on 28th December we have 2 American friends also staying and we wanted to introduce them to The French, I would be appreciative if someone from The French could contact me to discuss as soon as possible. This customer service is letting it down .

What a way to celebrate our first anniversary. If I ever have food anything like this again I'm a very lucky person . We had the 11 course taster menu along with drinks to compliment the food . And we where absolutely blown away with everything. And as a person that's never eaten fish by my choice I managed to try the few fish courses given and had to say barring one dish I enjoyed every mouth full .if you love your food and wine and looking for a special place this is the first place to visit .. absolutely

Great experience! Super great service, lovely people and amazing food.

Earlier this month to celebrate our wedding anniversary I surprised my wife by booking a table at, The french, (I surprised myself too - after a few anniversaries I'm starting to get it right, heh heh) and I'm so glad I did. I notified the team ahead of booking that we may need a slight variation to the menu due to dietary requirements. Communication was good and I was assured it could be done. This promise became one of the standout aspects of our meal, the adaptations were taken into consideration by Adam and the team without compromising on flavour or creativity. It was a breath of fresh air to see our dietary needs taken care of so seamlessly. The wine pairing during this experience was amazing. Each glass perfectly complemented each dish. The expertise ( from I believe, continued learning through regular taste practice of the wines) from Dimitri and the team was evident and truly added another layer of enjoyment to our evening. In fact everyone that we encountered, Adam, Blaze, Dimitri and other members of the team were incredibly warm and welcoming, guiding us through the menu and answering any questions with enthusiasm. We felt very much like valued guests throughout the entire evening. I would say that we are "self-proclaimed non-expert foodies" who enjoy dining experiences such as the Michelins and Best Restaurants, at least once or twice a year on our travels we can confidently say that the French is exceptional. Whether you are a self-proclaimed foodie or simply someone who appreciates good food, this restaurant is a must-visit.

Earlier this month to celebrate our wedding anniversary I surprised my wife by booking a table at, The french, (I surprised myself too - after a few anniversaries I'm starting to get it right, heh heh) and I'm so glad I did. I notified the team ahead of booking that we may need a slight variation to the menu due to dietary requirements. Communication was good and I was assured it could be done. This promise became one of the standout aspects of our meal, the adaptations were taken into consideration by Adam and the team without compromising on flavour or creativity. It was a breath of fresh air to see our dietary needs taken care of so seamlessly. The wine pairing during this experience was amazing. Each glass perfectly complemented each dish. The expertise ( from I believe, continued learning through regular taste practice of the wines ;-) from Dimitri and the team was evident and truly added another layer of enjoyment to our evening. In fact everyone that we encountered, Adam, Blaze, Dimitri and other members of the team were incredibly warm and welcoming, guiding us through the menu and answering any questions with enthusiasm. We felt very much like valued guests throughout the entire evening. I would say that we are "self-proclaimed non-expert foodies" who enjoy dining experiences such as the Michelins and Best Restaurants, at least once or twice a year on our travels we can confidently say that the French is exceptional. Whether you are a self-proclaimed foodie or simply someone who appreciates good food, this restaurant is a must-visit.

Visited on Saturday night. Wow , just wow. The most incredible experience of food and drink done to the very best of standards. Wine was exquisite to compliment the dishes. Staff were attentive and knowledgeable. Will be back

We don't do a night out like this often, just once a year, so the quality and service is so important. The food was tasty, and tasted like you would expect, but for 160 per person on a Saturday night, the service did not live up to expectation. The staff were nice enough, but were slightly disinterested, not personal, and by 8 courses in of 12 when we ran out of wine not one person asked whether we wanted another drink. Surely that us the basics. It was not worth the money, the only reason you spend that much is for an experience, and the experience was not there. Gutted as we probably can't afford to go to another restaurant like that for another year, will review more carefully in the future.

Went with my husband and in laws to celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary. It couldn’t have been more special from start to finish. Every course was sensational and the staff were brilliant. We had the drinks pairings which was great fun. My father in law doesn’t drink and he opted for the non-alcoholic drinks pairings. Never seen this done anywhere else and it was great, made him feel really included in the full experience and he said the drinks were delicious. Can’t wait to return for the our next celebration!

I don’t usually go back to the same “fine dining” type restaurant twice, or if I do it’s after a few years, but this week it was the second time I visited the French in just over a year, which should be saying something already. It was refreshing to see that the signature menu had changed enough to make this second visit a brand new experience, while not changing enough to make the restaurant unrecognisable from the one we first experienced and loved - and the current menu offers in my opinion more showstoppers than the already excellent previous one did. Staff are extremely attentive, very personable, and very comfortable talking about their own personal preferences with diners as if on the same “culinary level” as them. Adam Reid himself has been around both times we’ve been and is a pleasure to interact with. The setting being the Midland hotel also obviously adds to the experience, but staff do a very good job not to make it all feel overly formal. And we always leave full, which is not always to be taken for granted! All in all, better than many more celebrated (and starred) restaurants I’ve been to and will definitely be going back soon once again

We were so impressed with our, experience in your restaurant this evening, Food, Drink, your experienced team were, incredible I have written a review on the Good Food Guide, I hope Michelin inspectors read it. You deserve a Michelin star. We have eaten at many Michelin star restaurants in England and Scotland and your restaurant is at that level. Thank you for the incredible experience.

Stunning, fun, and innovative dinning experience. The service team are professional, welcoming, and passionate about creating an amazing dinning experience. High value for the price. Gem!!!

What a fantastic experience! 12 courses of wonderfully crafted Northern cuisine. You must go there hungry, because the amount and quality of food is worth every minute of the at least three hours of time it will take to complete the menu. How this restaurant does not have a Michelin Star I’ll never know!

Excellent place to eat. Great Northen Cuisine. Set 9 courses men, well proportioned to enjoy from start to end Cosy atmosphere. Perfect for a date night!

Had a beautiful evening here. The food was incredible, excellent wine pairing, service brilliant and importantly relaxed within a spectacular setting.

Excellent food and service at The French. Would highly recommend for a special meal

Cuisine très bien maîtrisée avec des combinaisons d'ingrédients osées, mais en même temps très simples : le résultat est bluffant! Ambiance cosy, service aux petits soins (à peine trop rapide???). On reviendra !

Food was a huge let down. Some courses honestly tasted like left over food. Whole dining experience took 2h. Although service and atmosphere was amazing.

A phenomenal destination dining experience. 12 varied and inspired courses, ranging from a sublime pork cold cuts with apricot brushed bread, to the best prepared venison I’ve ever eaten. Service was effortless. Neither intrusive, nor inattentive. Worthy of at Michelin Star.

Second time at The French. We loved our first experience in Nov 2022 and coming back again it was interesting to see the refinement of the menu over the last 12 months. The bread & broth is a great start to the meal, the snacks are well executed and the flavours of the main courses well thought out & delicious. Service is great throughout, the passion of the chefs serving their dishes at the table shines through and would highly recommend the tipsy drink accompaniments. The restaurant was very accommodating to my wife who is pregnant, adapting dishes with no fuss and still delivering great taste, with the non-tipsy drinks accompaniment also surprisingly varied & enjoyed, Having attended a bunch of fine dining establishments it’s only a matter of time before the Midland regains a Michelin star for Manchester - this place ticks all the boxes: great food, beautiful dining room, great service, locally sourced ingredients and a local story to go alongside. Would highly recommend.

Very lovely place with great staff and a lovely atmosphere.

Absolutely outstanding food, wine, atmosphere, and experience. I have no idea why this restaurant has no Michelin star it is just superb in every way.

What an amazing place. Food as performance. Worth saving up to go. You can share a wine pairing between two which is perfection.

I have no words. Well I have actually... Best meal this year. Michelin guide needs to get their act together. From the bread, ham. Salmon. Scallops. Everything was top notch. Great place to go for a special occasion or celebration. Chef came for a chat too. All round a fantastic way to celebrate our anniversary! And, what has to be #mcrsfinest dining room. Loved it!

We had the tasting menu with matching wine flight. The 'northern' menu is a bit naff but the food is excellent. The service is informal but friendly and pretty much faultless. And the room is, of course, stunning, providing the perfect ambience. Highly recommended.

Incredible food and service. Why no Michelin star is beyond me.

We went for our 39th Wedding Anniversary on the 14th of September and had a delicious meal with great service . We’ve been before and really enjoyed it every time . It’s our favourite place to go in Manchester. We definitely recommend it for a special meal.

The French is situated in the Midland Hotel Manchester. What a lovely experience this was. The food was incredible from start to finish. Ten dishes came to us with a Northern theme running through most of them. Definitely would recommend it for special occasions or if you have the money for it. Didn't take any photographs as I was too busy enjoying myself. Visited in 2022.

What for an amazing room, and great food. We loved evrything.

Beautiful décor and very professional restaurant manager Karina. I got into an exchange of emails with her regarding the reservation and she was very keen to help by responding promptly and usefully. The food is sophisticated while still allowing you to taste the ingredients; sometimes, with such complicated dishes, everything blurrs into a blob of taste. Adam is clever and I love the fact that his dishes remind us that we live in the glorious North West of England! This part of the world has an identity which we cherish and which he managed to infuse in his menu. I also like the fact that he came round and had a very friendly chat with all of his customers. The margins on the wine are a tad excessive. Apart from that, just brilliant!

I’ve been to a few Michelin starred places, and can say that this place is definitely up there with them. The courses get better and better, I love the northern theme too. I didn’t take photos as I was enjoying it all too much. Not sure I would do the wine flight again, but I did enjoy it and it all paired well. My favourite courses were the duck or the cheese with truffle and honey. The service and surroundings were great too. Definitely would recommend for a special occasion or if you have the money for it.

Wow - what an incredible restaurant. We had the Signature Experience and what an experience it was! We arrived at 8pm and departed at 11:30pm; which was enough time to feel entirely relaxed and to soak it all in. The food, where to star single course was meticulously thought out, from the presentation, how it was delivered, the eloquent descriptions and of course the mind-boggling tastes - just wow. Particular highlights were the ‘fish pie’ - simply one of the most, if not the most, incredible things we’ve ever eaten. Also the duck, the halibut and the fresh scallops, though it was all exceptional. The staff were all attentive, friendly and efficient and really made the evening what it was. To top it all off, our sommelier was brilliant - and you might just recognise who he is… I’ll leave that there! Highly highly recommend and the best food experience we’ve ever had.

First dining experience for quite some time. Located in the Midland Hotel, this restaurant provided a wonderful succession procession of tastes, flavours and textures. Mid week and not so busy but the staff were attentive and helpful. Done a few tasting menus over the years and this was one of the more expensive but was well worth it. No complaints. Highlights were the scallops with blood orange, and the rhubarb dessert. Excellent!

Was there for cream tea. Had to pre book and was busy when in the tea rooms. Excellent service and food. Would recommend for a treat.

I can’t praise this restaurant enough, absolutely amazing food. I wanted more of every course!!

Beautiful restaurant. Amazing food and the service was top notch. Thank you! Highly recommended!!!

Food was good but the service was really lacking and we were overlooked quite a lot. We had the wine pairing and one of the glasses was completely missed so we had to ask for it, and then we were brought the wrong one. One course was served to us without any cutlery and it took ages for us to get someone's attention to ask for some. Finally one of our deserts was served with a black hair in it which really spoilt the rest of the visit as we were ready to leave after that. The whole experience was definitely not worth the premium price point and there are other places that are cheaper and so much more enjoyable.

Amazing menu , fabulous service, no words!

Simply outstanding food and service from a brilliant team, well worthy of a Michelin star, fingers crossed for next year! 🤞

OMG, loved this visit. We are not extravagant, and this certainly topped any bill we have ever paid in the past, but hats off to the whole gang, staff were extremely knowledgeable and the food simply devine

Had a lovely night here. The food was nice and staff were friendly. Food is rather more British, than French though.

An extremely enjoyable experience from the moment we were shown our table through to the end of our four and a half hour tasting extravaganza. Staff were extremely knowledgeable and attentive, food was delicious. Thank you

Excellent food, the lunch menu is particularly good value. The staff are wonderful! Really enjoyed it and recommended it to people outside checking out the menu so they went in 😁 I don't doubt they enjoyed as much as my friends and I did xxxx

It was a really decent taster menu with some really interesting ideas. Highlights for me included red bell pepper sweets, eel and tongue wrapped in lettuce, and the most delicious roast chicken. However, I felt the balance of flavours overall was lacking, especially in the mini fish pie that was overpowered with spring onion, and the dusting on the scallops was lack luster. The menu was very fish heavy, and I would have liked to have seen more variety. There was also a weird assortment of background music that was jarring and not what you want for a relaxing evening meal. Not my thing at all, and no one seemed to know why the music was picked in particular. The marble top table we sat at was way to high, and it felt slightly awkward to eat. The staff were fantastic, and every time a new dish was brought out the chef who prepared bit introduced it to you personally, which I thought was a lovely touch. Service overall was very good. It was fine dining with a relaxed feel, so if you're looking for something very formal this is not your place.

Phenomenal meal. Amazing atmosphere and fabulous staff. Was one of my best experiences in a restaurant

They didn't have a table but I looked in there and it looked five stars

Had a fantastic night at The French. The staff were incredible and made the meal and wine pairing that much more special. Alex one of our servers in particular had a great chat with us and explained what the food was. We had a culinary journey from start to finish - there was just too much. The staff kindly packed up the desserts for takeaway and we tipsily stumbled home! Thank you again!

What can I say!! From the start me and my now fiancée had an amazing night. Food was unbelievable and the hospitality was just as good. Definitely recommend paying the extra to get the golden empire.I purposed on the night with the help of Eleanor had the ring brought to the table in the golden empire pot was so amazing.Will be back very soon!

Fue un placer volver a The French y no decepcionó. Está en una hermosa habitación, el servicio fue eficiente pero muy amable, pero sobre todo la comida fue memorablemente deliciosa. No sé por qué no tienen una estrella Michelin.

A stunning night of food and wine in a beautiful building, the service was excellent, every dish was a joy to see and taste. Will definitely be back.

My husband took me for my birthday and it was amazing, Ive done a few tasting menus and this was by far one of the best, full of surprises. I would definitely do it again and would recommend others to try it.

Hice la opción Great British Menu aquí, que incluía el plato de pollo ganador. ¡No defraudó! ¡Algunos de los mejores pollos que he comido! Y algo de estilo súper nostálgico, platos caseros.Las porciones no son las más grandes dados los campos limitados, pero esto obviamente se refleja en el precio, no está mal para un buen lugar para cenar. Probablemente también fue bastante bueno que esto se hiciera durante la hora del almuerzo, en lugar de como cena. Solo sea consciente de la antelación con la que reserva. Creo que fuimos los primeros en estar sentados ese día, y solo quedamos nosotros y otra mesa por un tiempo hasta que se llenó.

Had dinner here a few weeks ago and absolutely loved it. It's a shame that the Midland is looking a bit old once you get insideI'd definitely move into the restuarnt if you arrive early rather than having a drink in the hotel.The restaurant itself is lovely, The meal starts with some excellent rich onion broth (10/10) and then some malted sourdough bread with beef butter (9/10). Then there are crackers and dips (9/10) and a plate of cold meat and cheese with chutney, picallily and mustard (8.5/10). The meal then moves on to pickled mussels in a white wine and cider soup (9/10) and then a steak tartar with tint cubes of potato and a mushroom ketchup. The main fish dish was pollock with crispy chicken skin and some mashed potato sitting in some gorgeous sauces (9/10). The meat dish was venison which was excellent (10/10). Then some blue cheese with fig and walnut cake - another 10/10 dish and main dessert was baked apple with crispy pastry and a custard ice cream (8.5/10). Final tiny dessert was a tipsy cake topped with cream and orange zest (9/10) with coffee and chocolates to finish.Service was excellent. What obviously stood out was the very northern nature of the meal, really celebrating local food and local food culture and history - brilliant meal. Would definitely recommend.

Fabulous food. Extremely friendly and efficient service. Brilliant music. Beautiful decor and surroundings. Love it. Would highly recommend.

Maravilloso menú de degustación, que incluye una opción vegetariana separada. Cada curso de ambos menús fue absolutamente excelente y muy sabroso. El personal es atento y servicial, pero al mismo tiempo discreto. Probablemente la mejor comida que hemos comido, y hemos comido en muchos lugares. Una noche perfecta

Spiste en 4.retters inklusiv vinpakke. Lokalene ligger inne på hotellet og har et eksklusivt preg. Her tas du i mot og følges opp fint underveis. Alle retter+viner presenteres av kokker og vinkelner. Smaksrik opplevelse, dyrt men verdt det.

I visited The French with a friend from Madrid. Several people had mentioned it to us as an excellent restaurant and it didn’t disappoint!The wonderful Eleanor went the extra mile to secure us a table on a Friday evening. The welcome we received on arrival from herself and Camilla set the tone for the whole experience.The food and wine to complement the courses were excellent, we had the Great British Menu, and the service was exemplary. If you want something really special go here. Highly recommended.

We have just returned from a very relaxed lunch. As ever the staff were very attentive and informative. The food was stunning from start to finish. Can’t wait to return.

Mi esposo y yo vinimos aquí para nuestro aniversario y la comida era sublime. Hemos tenido la suerte de probar bastantes restaurantes de alta cocina, ¡pero ambos pensaron que este era el mejor menú fijo que hemos tenido! ¡Tuvimos la opción Gran menú británico y sentimos que debería haber ganado los cuatro platos! ! !El servicio fue excelente y también alteraron amablemente mi bebida después de que me di cuenta de que era alérgico a un ingrediente.

We booked in for the Great British Menu and to be honest, didn't really know what to expect! From the minute we arrived this was a special experience for us. Adam and his team of wonderful staff have managed to fuse perfect food, music, decor, ambience and service in a non pretentious way. I loved the diversity of people eating here; bringing gastronomy to the masses and celebrating the North in his inimitable way. The Tater Ash starter is something I have craved everyday since eating it. The cod which just melts in the mouth is a triumph. The chicken, well, I've started brining my chicken in aromatics now because I'm so inspired! The dessert was the perfect high note at the end of the meal. We can't wait to return! Perfection. Well done.

Big statement, but Adam Reid’s menu really lives up to the hype. It’s great grub, proper northern soul food with a deft touch and a (surely not far away) Michelin star style finesse. We had the Signature menu which for £99 a head is an absolute steal. You’d pay at least another 50% more if this was in London and not complain. The snacks came out first. Onion broth, a rich, sticky espresso shot of flavour. Bang here we go! Taste buds strap yourselves in, you’re in for a culinary ride! The bread with beef butter was like scraping all the good bits out of the Sunday roasting tin. Can I have some more please sir? The crackers and cold cuts were equally delicious and a nice delicate juxtaposition to the punchy opening. If anything fell flat for me it was the honey cured ham which didn’t quite come up to the mark. Not an issue though.Once the menu proper started each dish just got better and better. The pickled mussels with onion and cider soup were so dainty it was as though they’d been plucked from their shells by team of fairies and laid on a warm lovage blanket. It was my wife’s favourite course. Enough said. The tater ‘ash beef (made famous by Great British Menu) was decent. You certainly needed the tiny spoon to stop you gobbling it down in one bite. The poached Cornish cod was so skilfully cooked, it’s almost translucent flesh flaked into the rich buttery cod roe. Delicate and decadent in equal measure. Could this be my favourite? Has Adam hit his peak? No. Duck next. Goosnargh duck (pronounced ‘goose-ner’). Look it up if you haven’t heard about it (I hadn’t) but it seems to be one of the best birds you can buy. This sums up the menu perfectly. The best quality local ingredients, cooked with love and care, simple. As you’d expect the duck breast was sumptuous. Melt in the mouth. They bought a meat knife out but I could’ve cut it with a spoon. It was accompanied by a leg meat faggot which was so spectacular it could be it’s own course.We’re onto the desserts now and first up was a blue cheese with fig and walnut cake. I think this was my favourite dish. The cake was warm, sticky and sweet. The cheese salty as a swim in the sea. The combination = perfection. Taste buds, you still with me? It reminded me of a mince pie with salted butter. Finally the rhubarb and custard deconstructed sweet was a real fresh palate cleanser. Just enough tartness from the rhubarb to compliment the sweet custard.As we finished with coffee and a square of tipsy cake (a nice finishing touch) we both remarked how fantastic the meal was. Apart from the hostess (who welcomed us with such a frazzled/rushed look you’d feel she was cooking the food too) the service was first class. The sommelier, a lovely lady ( her name escapes me) was a delight. The chefs bringing the food out and telling you about it was far from pretentious (as others may suggest). They did it with such passion you really became invested in the food. Highly recommended. Can’t wait to see what’s next for Adam Reid.

We are fans of fine dining and been meaning to eat at the French for some time, finally getting round to it. We chose the Great British Menu option and sat at the Chef’s Counter which was different and enjoyable. Adam wasn’t in but we chatted away to Freddie and his fellow chefs which enhanced our experience. All the courses were beautifully presented, letting the food speak for itself, we have eaten at Michelin starred restaurants where sometimes the presentation outshone the taste, not here. We both loved the Tater Ash, the cod and chicken were fabulous (not under or overcooked as some have mentioned). My only small issue was that I found the treacle tart a bit too sweet but then I have a savoury rather than sweet tooth and generally ditch desserts.We also had the wine pairing which matched the dishes perfectly, All the staff were professional without being formal and we thoroughly enjoyed our evening.

We chose here to celebrate my husband gaining his doctorate from the nearby University of Lancaster and boy was it a great decision!

First, a puzzle... We had an email asking us to come 15 minutes early to have a drink in the bar. This we did but we were shown straight to our table... Never mind, it made no difference tat all o our enjoyment of the evening but, as I say, we were puzzled.

The food was an absolute farce and the service a tragedy. The only light of the evening was Pol Roger, offered by the glass. I will never return. An absolute misery.

Absolutely stunning...just had lunch at The French in the Midland Hotel, the Discovery Menu was utterly divine. My husband and I enjoyed every beautiful mouthful paired with delightful wines, delivered by superb service. We can’t recommend this fabulous restaurant enough ...WOW ...just wow!! Amazing and wonderful ...thank

Visited the restaurant this afternoon for the discovery menu using an Itison voucher. We sat at the Tasting Table and watching a very pleasant Charlie work only enhanced the experience. Staff all friendly and efficient, lovely surroundings, delicious wine and food. Took coffee through to the lobby bar and people watched to finish lunch off perfectly.

Was really looking forward to this meal the restaurant was not was we expected we have never been to a restaurant where the table cloths resembled bed sheets napkins were disgusting.Really sorry but we would never go back again!!

My partner was given a voucher for Adam Reid as a birthday present! We booked a table with one of my sisters, however they opted out due to expense

We had the four course Great British menu which costs 85 pounds per person. The starter was interesting and tasty -in particular the mushroom catsup; and the dessert ( a kind of deconstructed treacle tart) was okay rather than exceptional. But overall the experience was disappointing as both the second course - cod - and third course - a crown of chicken, were undercooked, in our opinion. This undercooking - in our opinion - made the cod look and taste slightly gelatinous and the chicken was "rubbery"to eat. Given such fare, the business of the chef coming to your table and presenting the dish's history,ingedients and method of cooking seems more than a bit pretentious.We had looked forward to this meal but left feeling underwhelmed ,given the price.

My wife and I had taster menu with wine flight on Saturday evening The food seemed ok other than mussels Since our visit for past two days with have been both unwell , has anyone else had same experience, since visiting Saturday night ?

Myself and my husband visited Adam Reid at The French for our anniversary. What a wonderful experience, the surroundings and ambiance was exceptional. The staff were very attentive and knowledgeable. We would definitely return as the food was amazing. Would definitely recommend a visit.

I went to The French for a birthday lunch with my husband and some friends last week. I have wanted to eat here for ages and it didn’t disappoint. We all had the initials tasting menu (4 courses, but actually more like 7 courses) the food was perfectly cooked, and like all good fine dining restaurants, I tasted food I had never experienced before, and some of the dishes will stay in my head for a long time. The service was slick, friendly, and informative and even though one of our party was help up for half an hour (a long story involving a broken arm) it didn’t phase them at all - they simply brought out more food when she arrived! Thank you to Adam Reid and all the staff for making my birthday one to remember

Amazing Great British Menu tasting menu! The food was to die for, great service and lovely atmosphere! Best meal we have had for a long time. We cannot wait to return!

went for a birthday after seeing the choices on the great british menu. The food was extremely over seasoned and over powerful. The chicken was dry and over cooked as well as again extremely over seasoned. Not what i was expecting or hoping for based on the reviews. Would not return.

This was a birthday treat for my husband. We had the Great British menu with wine pairing. We wanted to taste what we had seen on the program. It was truly wonderful. The service is excellent and the atmosphere nice and cosy. We got and added treat that we met Adam Reid what a lovely man. A really wonderful evening.

Our second time at The French, and it was as good as we remembered.

Stunning grade 2 listed restaurant that is remarkably un stuffy ! Located in the Midland Hotel. Adam Reid has a great reputation and the menus here clearly display why. The options include - £65 +£60 ( for optional wine pairing) for 4 courses- This is the Initials MENU whilst the Signature 6 course menu is priced at £90 + £ 75 for wine pairings. A third option is £85 +£60 for the famed GREAT BRITISH MENU. Whichever you chose- you will NOT be disappointed. Dishes are a mix of complex textures and flavours bit are not over enginered. Of course there is theatre- presentation is beautiful. Excellent service. Fresh quality seasonal produce sourced locally adds to the attraction.

Magnífica experiencia, desde la decoración y la atención del personal hasta la extraordinaria comida. Buenos vinos para acompañar.

If I had to describe our meal in The French in one word I would say “salty”. We had the Signature Menu on a Saturday night and it was our first time in the restaurant. The room was lovely, service good and all our dietary requirements were met without fuss. The broth starter set the scene - it was very salty. We liked the “buffet” starter - although we felt there was just too much and a lot of it was very salty. The saltiness persisted through the rest of the courses. We liked most of what we ate - we just didn’t love it. Sorry!

Myself and 5 friends visited last week.

All good, interesting tasty food from the signature menu. The only real downside was that almost every drink poured was rushed and so the water/wine ended up down the glass or sometimes splashed on the table. Other than that the staff were courteous and knowledgable, but just seemed rushed when pouring drinks.

Classically proportioned room with the most extravagant chandeliers ever. The welcome was warm and all staff were friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Dishes come steadily from the kitchen - they were even able to accommodate some last minute alterations to the menu due to our allergies and intolerances. Many highlights to our meal. The non alcoholic cocktails were amazing.

Inexplicably, a Michelin star continues to evade Adam Reid. On the plus side, the restaurant has moved up a couple of place in the usually reliable Good Food Guide – now standing in 11th place, actually above a number of 2 star places. As I say, inexplicable about the Michelins.

A warm comfortable welcome that relaxes you for an excellent evenings meal. The food is exquisite, we had the great british menu and thoroughly enjoyed it. The setting and service combined to emphasise the experience of the food. A golden apple from the last gbm finished off one of the best evenings dining ihave had.

It’s the first time I’ve been to The French in many years and it did not disappoint. The tasting menu was pretty good and the service was going great until the waitress poured the next tables wine into our glasses

Been a while since our last visit but lunch at The French did not disappoint. Went for Adams Great British Menu and wow. The TaterAsh, Northern Soul with caviar pearls, and the winning chicken dish were all amazing. But that Treacle Tart to finish was to die for.

We booked here after being inspired by Adam on the Great British Menu. So naturally we opted for the Great British Menu menu and were blown away.

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We had the initials menu; the cod and chicken dishes were our favourites and we loved the explainations of how the meal was composed. The atmosphere was relaxed yet retained a level of sophistication and the music really complimented to the overall vibe of the restaurant. Highly recommended

The food here is exceptional. Our favourite meals were the Tartar ash with rye bread and beef butter and the cod with elderflower hollandaise and battered green beans. While we both agreed the baked apple (it is not a cake, but flavoured like one) With pastry and cold custard was something we would have again.

We had a fantastic meal at the french. The service was outstanding. The food was incredible each course was a master piece . We had a truly memorable experience and the quality was of the very best. We enjoy d the atmosphere and the overall experience.