The Refuge by Volta in Manchester

Very pretty restaurant, was served by Michael who gave us excellent service and tips on what drinks to buy because I didn’t know. Definitely coming again.

Yesterday we decided to pop into the Refuge for a light lunch before going to the Palace theatre . We had not been here before and it was very convenient being opposite the theatre . We arrived there at 1 pm , which we thought gave us plenty of time before The performance at the Palace theatre at 2.15 pm. We waited around 15 minutes before we had to find a waiter to order our drinks and food. The drinks arrived 40 minutes later , even though the bar was very close by, we had to ask when the drinks were coming . We also had to mention twice to the waiter to check on our food order, as the time was passing by. It came at 1.50 pm . The young waiter was very nice and apologised for the long wait. He said that ‘“ the management were in a meeting “. (?) They seemed very short staffed. The food we ordered was fine, only a limited choice but that was okay for us. The inside of the building itself is really nice. The long wait experience has really put us off and I don’t think we would be going again. A pity as it’s so convenient to the theatre and also Oxford Road train station.

I love the building and vibe at the Kimpton/ Refuge, the bar is lovely and the winter garden is a nice place to sit, I also feel that the drinks are well priced for Manchester city centre too. I don’t usually write reviews but I felt I had to as I was very disappointed with the ‘main’ dish I’d ordered for lunch today (the Polyspore lion’s mane mushroom main dish), the portion size was absolutely tiny, we thought it was one of the starters/ nibbles that my friends had ordered. At £19 it was an utter shame and shock, so I just wanted to highlight as don’t feel it should be classed as a main dish or priced at £19, I was very disappointed.

Shocked at the cost. Waiting time at bar is loooooooooooooon. Service okay but wasn't keen when I saw a waitress stroking a dog and then immediately picking up some cutlery to lay on the table without washing her hands. Food portions are tiny. Taste is nothing out the ordinary. Prices are HIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Limited menu. Beautiful building but I can pass on that in order to go somewhere cheaper that doesn't then, on top of the bill, slap on another 10% for average service.

Dog friendly. Great setting and atmosphere. We struggled with the tapas style menu. We were advised to get three dishes each and there were four of us. One of the thirteen dishes available was a £29.50 steak and another was chips so it was a bit confusing. Are we having tapas or are we building a meal? What we did have was very nice individually but didn’t really go together in the end.

My partner and I booked a table so we could enjoy a pre-theatre tipple. * We were waiting to be greeted for a while, even though staff members noticed we had arrived and ignored us. * When we were seated in the Winter Garden our table wasn't clean, we had to wipe it ourselves with D12. * No one approached us to take our order, so after 20 minutes we went up the a waiter who informed we had to go to the bar to order drinks, which wasn't communicated to us when we were seated by the host. * When we finally had our drinks in hand, the glasses were warm. Overall, our experience was disappointing. We emailed Refuge to let them know but no acknowledgment. Will not be recommending to friends, family or clients. Schofields, here we come.

We came for lunch and booked a table in the Winter Garden. The space is incredible, not just the Winter Garden but the whole of the Refuge Restaurant and Bar- it really is spectacular. We ordered the Great North Pie, which came with chips and broccoli! And we weren’t disappointed! The portion size was fantastic- we were worried it was going to be a small portion, but it really is the perfect big feed! Exactly what you want in a Sunday lunchtime. And it tasted great-pie, chips and gravy what more could you want! However the only reason I’m giving 3 stars is because of the service. It was terrible. We had to go and grab a menu from the other table when seated, we waited 15minutes until I then got up and went to ask if we can make a drinks order, but by then we were also ready to order food. When the food came, we weren’t asked if we’d like anything else- sauces, salt, pepper or water. So as she was walking away, I asked for salt and mayonnaise. I assumed as they had pre poured jugs of water and glasses at the servers station near the entrance to the Winter Garden that we were to be given water- but we weren’t, so again I got up out of my seat to ask for some water and to also make another drinks order. Our original glasses had been empty for a while and you’d like to think an attentive server wouldve spotted that, and asked if we’d like to order another- but unfortunately this didn’t happen. The water was brought to our table- but the drinks never arrived. So again I went to ask and she had forgotten to get them. She rushed off and was very apologetic. Once we’d finished our food, our plates sat empty in front of us for 15 minutes. I believe our server was called Zahir- if this was her first day that I completely understand, but the Winter Garden wasn’t busy and it was basic hospitality skills that were lacking. She also kept disappearing into the restaurant to chat to her mate for 10minutes at a time. Apart from the service- the food and venue was great!

Excellent food, nice atmosphere, Noemi was great, gave us amazing advice. The steak was delicious, the vegetables had the most tasty sauces. The best cheesecake ever.

Marios is the best waiter I've met. Friendly, kind and made delicious cocktails. Wonderful place and nice fingerfood.

Food is amazing. We had the pleasure to have Marios preparing our drinks. You should go and try Marios suggestion. The place is also fabulous.

Visited here for lunch before a show at the arena. The best pie I have ever had. The Moet was lovely too. Lovely surroundings in the winter gardens - wished we could have stayed longer. We will be back

We visited for dinner in the Winter Garden, had to go and ask for someone to come and take our order, no one came but managed to attract the attention of a waiter cleaning tables. No smile or greeting. Ordered all our food and drinks. All then arrived in the wrong order, wine, then food and then aperitifs. No apology. Were then ignored, had to go and ask again to order more wine which never arrived, went and asked again and was told, sorry it went out of my head. The table was never cleared, we were never asked if everything was okay. Beautiful building, dreadful service

Was very underwhelmed after hearing such great things about Refuge. Went for dinner with friends in the dining room, the building is beautiful but unfortunately the food not so and the service was terrible. We wouldn't rush back.

Visited for drinks and dinner before seeing Hamilton at The Palace Theatre. We had a drink in the bar, which was busy, but we were quickly served. The dining room is lovely. Service was great, and the staff were all top notch. We decided to eat from the show menu, and for £30 each including a glass of fizz was an absolute bargain! We loved it all, and couldn't fault any of it. We will definitely be returning!

Vaishnan was an amazing host to us this evening . Made our girly night out . Great food great atmosphere . Highly recommend .

tried to book for dinner, but they NEVER picked up the phone, wanted to discuss gluten-free options, clearly too much trouble for them, Emailed multiple times, no response, won't bother, There many more options out there, good luck!

Just went in for drinks on a Friday night. Took ages to get served. Although there was a dj on, the place was lacking in atmosphere, just felt like a big soulless building.

I’m a big fan of Refuge. Love their Sunday Dinner and the tapas and Middle Eastern inspired food is delicious! So we decided to book for NYE. The staff were amazing as per usual- but the food was appalling! Inedible, in fact! My partner was...

Best breakfast in Manchester. Another thing they have a great breakfast 🥞 buffet. Third they have the best eggs 🥚 in Manchester. Lastly the people who work here are very nice .

Called in yesterday after seeing The Refuge on a You Tube channel. I had it on my list of bars to visit for my birthday. It did not disappoint. Our server Gabriel was really nice and when he learned that it was my birthday offered...

Stopped of a coffee during my work break, never been here before! The barista was lovely! Probably one of the best coffees I’ve had in a while! And very attention to detail for somebody who loves their coffee! I didn’t catch his name proper but...

Amazing Cosmo, made by Steph. Great atmos, service was brilliant. So glad we came back,,last time was class, as was this time

Stayed at the kimpton clock tower and eat in the refuge. The food was absolutely delicious and the breakfast was amazing! All the staff where fantastic. And Ash was very helpful and attentive in the morning!

Amazing Christmas Eve Dinner! Superb roast and huge portions. Vaishmani took very good care of us! Thanks!

We had Christmas eve dinner here and it was lovely! The food was great, the wine tasty and Vaishnavi, our waiter was amazing. She was absolutely lovely, explained the menu for us, took group photos and helped a group of 8 splittig the bill! Definitely...

Great restaurant with delicious food and excellent customer service. Vaishnavi was very helpful , attentive and polite.

Great place, amazing architecture, huge portions and amazing service! Vaishnavi offered a really great service! They are also very pet friendly.

Wow, simply delicious food. The crispy mushrooms were delicious (I want to take a bottle of the brown sauce home with me!). Great service from Vaishmari - friendly and attentive service. The sea bream was a complete stand out, as was the sticky toffee pudding!

We had a festive lunch in December after shopping. The food was excellent and great value. The service from Noeni was impeccable even though we were loud and obnoxious.

Two staff were very helpful particularly Vaishnari who was our main server were great. Food served very quickly and all very tasty. Beautiful building and great atmosphere. This is our first time here but will definitely come again !

Fabulous range of plates that catered to all of our tastes - the sea bream was amazing as was the sticky toffee pudding. Recommend choosing a whole range and sharing everything! Vaishnavi was a great host as well.

We held our office Christmas lunch at The Refuge. We were well looked after by Emma, who was very paitent with us all. Food was delicious, we all had a great time.

We had our works Christmas Party here yesterday and it was very good. The staff were amazing, in particular Emma, who really looked after us all afternoon.

Great service from Noemie. Lovely food. Superb atmosphere and amazing architecture.highly recommend a visit. Lovely outside area also.

We had the Festive Feast which was fabulous and more than enough food. Our waitress Maftuna was warm and attentive.

Since the start of the year I have had Breakfast at the Refuge around 70 mornings. The selection of food is very good and most importantly it is fresh. Over the course of the year, blaming inflation, some items have been removed from the menu...

A very convenient place for a pre theatre meal - right next to Oxford Road station and across the road from the Palace. The staff were very attentive and helpful and we like the atmosphere. Usual trend of sharing small plates a la tapas which...

Beautiful building with original features. Great atmosphere. Visited after the theatre and had drinks in the bar prior to the meal. Good choice of tapas and excellent desert. Staff were really attentive and polite, especially our waitress Maftuna.

Really tasty food. Our waitress, Maftuna was exceptional. Catered to all our needs. Really pleased. Will definitely recommend.

Came to the refuge to celebrate a work christmas dinner. We preordered a festive menu with some additional sides. Our waiter Tomasz promplty offered us drinks and looked after us attentively throughout the evening. The food was very nice, probably some of the best carrots...

Had dinner and cocktails here last night before our theatre visit. This is our go to place in Manchester. The ambience is brilliant and the building is beautiful. The menu is different and everything was very tasty. Our waitress Maftuna looked after us exceptionally well....

Oasis of a place, we had a table booked but arrived early to have a few drinks. Spent a really nice hour listening to all of the singing going on in the main bar. Then through to the restaurant for a sunday roast which was...

Wonderful time spent here on Saturday for lunch Creative and unique menu, excellent food and wine and the service offered by the wonderful Maftuna could not be beaten! She is a credit to the venue and added to the experience! Thank you!

We had champagne in the pop up Moet bar outside followed by the Christmas menu (sharing plates) in the little private dining room. Service was first class ((well done Sam), food was excellent (both meat and veggie options) and atmosphere brilliant. A great night all...

My family and I shared a lovely moment at the Refuge. The building is beautiful and the food was delicious. Our waitress Emma was lovely and very professional. She recommended the sea bream and the lamb kofte, making sure to let us know that they...

Lovely ambiance, the food is super tasty loved every bit of it, would like to mention our server Vaishnavi who was very kind and helpful to us.

We visited refuge for my mums birthday before going to the theatre. Service and food was amazing! Jared who served us was very attentive and the manager Steph who came and wished my mum a happy birthday. Will be visiting again soon!

My wife and i came to Refuge for a Sunday Lunch board and although we were happy with the experience overall there were a couple of issues we mentioned to the server. When all the food came out the plates were overlapping the edge. There...

Been wanting to go here for ages. Where do I start. Positives beautiful building and interior. Negatives just about everything else in there. We waited 20mins for someone to come take our drinks order. Then waited ages for it to arrive. Same with the food....

Fantastic evening and meal at The Refuge. Our waitress Maftuna was super and we had a wonderful evening! It’s a beautiful restaurant with great ambience and would fully recommend!

Turned away for a pre theatre dinner at the restaurant, despite it being nearly empty. Reason? We're not doing walk ins... explained we tried to book but We're just told to turn up. Sent to try the bar menu, which was noisy and half full...

Omg. The best food ever, vaishnavi was so kind n helpful. Steak was gorgeous 10/10 💕💕💕 Thank you!!!!

atrocious slow bar service, avoid, nice place, quite busy but very lacking in quality bar tenders, such a shame

Lovely dinner with my friends before theatre show. We were offered the show menu which was plenty of dishes for £30 including a glass of fizz. Our waiter Tom was friendly and attentive and looked after us all evening. Would definitely recommend as the food...

The Refuge is a great place that we frequent, with a great atmosphere and great food which is why I chose this for our family Christmas day lunch. I asked on a regular basis (emails & in person) and was told 3-4 times to wait...

I have visited Refuge before a few years ago and remembered the excellent environment, service & food. Well...only one of those is still true based on my recent visit - the ambience and building is still as impressive as ever and felt suitably festive for...

Something very iffy going on with the bar…. I had to take my drink back twice as it had been laced with garlic! The manager eventually came over and offered me a cocktail which was nice, but I get the feeling something is not right...

Very disappointing Sunday roast. Beef was so rare and tough we could hardly cut through it. Food wasn’t hot enough and definite lack of gravy! Refused to pay for me. The manager was really lovely when I complained (which I rarely do) so gutted as...

Lovely venue but overall very poor quality and value for money. Liked that there was some creativity to menu but I’m afraid it stopped there and the consensus was that non of it really worked. After sharing feedback with the waiter “who hadn’t tried the...

Quality of food is good. However, it was lukewarm. Asked for extra hot gravy to warm it up, then got charged for it! I have always recommended this restaurant for Sunday lunch, but unfortunately we won't be coming back.

Nice dinner out with my partner, our waiter Tom looked after us and was very attentive and made some nice cocktail recommendations - the Bermuda Triangle was great.

Have been to Refuge several times but Saturday night was a real disappointment. We waited nearly 45 mins for bar food. When it arrived, our £6 bread basked had 2 slices of bread in it, the dips came with nothing to dip in them but...

Beautiful airy space with excellent and generous small plates. I have a number of food intolerances and the staff was meticulous in checking ingredients. The chef literally marked up the menu so I could eat safely without missing out on the delicious food. Highly recommend.

Whilst quite expensive, the food, atmosphere and great service makes it worth it! Shout out to Tom who looked after us last night and made some great food recommendations

Small group of friends for birthday meal and what a rip off - had to have set menu for £37 which was literally 1 pitta bread hummus dips, tiny lamb kofta, carbs of potatoes and chips and only decent part a chicken leg then the...

We visited here for the first time with friends last night and loved the atmosphere and the building itself is beautiful. The Pinot was good and we opted for a selection of small plates to share. The sourdough and Burrata was delicious. Unfortunately a couple...

Immaculate vibes for a sophisticated couple of drinks. We very much enjoyed our time as usual, it has become a regular recent place for a end of rewarding time of the week / social situation. Our server was the best, we really did enjoy her...

Excellent food and great service from vaishnavi, would definitely recommend to anyone who wants quality over quantity

Amazing food and amazing service. Vaishnavi, our server, was brilliant from start to finish. She went above and beyond and helped us choose our menu; it was spot on. Cannot fault the service. A lovely evening.

Wonderful platter for Sunday lunch- very good traditional fare served in spectacular fashion. Staff and service were both excellent.

I was unfortunate enough to have booked a table here last Saturday. Sadly, a real arrogant attitude from the staff from the moment we arrived for our reservation and really poor service throughout. At one point I went to the bar to ask for a...

It was a wonderful enjoyable visit to The Refuge. A special thanks to Vaishnavi, who is truly excellent at her profession.

This place is great !! Amazing wine , food & services and the service is unmatched!! Staff is also very friendly especially Vaishnavi Suryawanshi ,she made me feel welcomed & gave me an amazing experience. You can tell making the customers happy is her main...

Such a wonderful evening! Thanks so much to Tom who was the perfect amount of attentive. I absolutely can’t recommend the beetroot borani (dip) enough but all the food was delicious.

The refuge wasn't terrible by any standard but everything was just a little mediocre. The service was lacking and slow despite the nearly empty restaurant. Some of the dishes were very good (pork belly) and some were very bland (spatchcock Poussin) and some were undercooked...

Not anywhere near as good as we anticipated. We went for a late lunch for our anniversary It wasn’t busy but very noisy. Some items not on the menu and what was was average at best. Service OK. So many better places to eat and...

Staying nearby, I saw it on the map and popped in for something to eat. The ambience was fantastic, great decor and high ceilings. I was served by the wonderfully bubbly Noemi who recommend the whipped goats cheese, along with the sourdough - which comes...

Great venue, friendly staff and really tasty meal. 28.00 was excessive for a cold steak slapped on a plate with a bit of pesto on the top but other than that rest of the food was delicious

Absolutely disgusted with the bar staff. Trying to get a drink as a middle aged man is impossible when all the guys behind the bar serve young lady’s first. Then have the audacity to laugh at you.

We visited on Sunday for a roast and it did not disappoint. I had the beef and my friend had the chicken - WOW. SO so tasty, and the cauli cheese was absolutely delicious! Our lunch would not have been as good as it was...

Lovely food, great setting! Service from Tom was friendly and attentive :) We had some really nice cocktails and shared a few small plates

Eden made a great flat white and it was the best I’ve had and Im surely coming back! The restaurant had a great selection as well.

Ate quite a few times in August 2023, mainly alone, but sometimes with colleagues. The Sunday Roast for 2 is exceptonally good value. Other evenings the menu is predominantly small plates of varying sizes and costs. The food is freshly prepared and tasty but sometimes...

Fab Sunday roast. We had the beef and veggie options. Roast potatoes lovely and crisp, Yorkshire’s enormous and cooked to perfection and the beef was pink and with a great flavour. Service very friendly. Good atmosphere on the restaurant. All in all 10/10 and will...

Ordered the sharing Sunday roast plater. Food arrived at the same time as the drinks. Food was cold and dried out. This meal is the only one I have ever sent back. Even the second attempt was only luke warm. Would have been one star...

Great service, Denisa saw to all our needs. Meal was delicious and full of variety. Great location,

The experience was amazing from our entry to the beautiful building to us leaving, a wonderful atmosphere with great service, Denisa really looked after us and was very polite and helpful, and the food was to die for I even had to bring a doggie...

The food was absolutely terrific, the ambience was great, with a lovely Winter Garden area for drinks. The sharer plates were delicious- the artichoke bravas was divine and the best hummus I’ve ever tasted. Lovely drinks recommended by the servers, with all round brilliant service....

Tha ks to Vanesa fornorganisi g a birthday card and cake for my daughter. Overall fantastic service, food and experience

Usually my favourite roast in town EVER. First things first, the Vimto red cabbage? Why would they ever take this off the menu it was INCREDIBLE anyway no red cabbage at all now but that’s just my personal taste. The meat was a little tough...

Savoury food was fantastic. Service from Tom was second to none. Baked Alaska wasn’t worth £15. Cocktails were sublime.

Had a really great evening at The Refuge - food and cocktails were fantastic, would recommend the feasting menu if available. Tom was a great waiter, really welcoming!

Had a great evening with super food and really good service from Tom our server. Would definitely come again and recommend to friends

We enjoyed a fabulous evening. The food was delicious although the portion size unclear. But that wasn’t an issue, as they were quite generous. Our waiter, Thom was very knowledgeable of the menu and suggested several good options, Would come again if in Manchester

Amazing food and excellent service from our waiter Tom. Highly recommend the pork collar and sea bass. Food portions are good and think 1 from the top and 2 from the bottom per person works well when sharing. Whipped goats cheese and the sourdough were...

Beautiful building and delicious food. The oyster mushrooms were a highlight. Only outshined by our server Tom.

We had a very good experience at Refuge. The combination of small plates was very good and the staff were friendly and attentive. The food was all of good quality though I found the sjambal sauce on the sweet potato too fiery and the dressing...

Good food. Great service. Tomasz was very attentive, yet not intrusive. A key balance in the hospitality game that is sometimes hard to strike. Would come again, particularly for the whipped goats cheese and the corn ribs. Others at my table said the pork belly...

The food at Refuge was delicious. Great range of dishes and beautiful surroundings. Our server, Tom, was an absolute star. We will definitely return. Thank you!

The food was really lovely, Tom served us and he was great and really helpful. I would really recommend this place to others because the service and food were excellent!