The Refuge by Volta in Manchester

Our server Nikita was very attentive and the food was wonderful throughout the night. Great experience!

7 of us ate here for our belated Christmas party and we shared the feasting menu. The dining toom is beautiful and the food and vibe were perfect for us. Shout out to Saukhyad for attentive service and keeping our champagne topped up. Will come back in the daylight some time to sit in the courtyard too.

We didn't eat there, but a great bar, great atmosphere, throughly recommend it...

Vaishnavi and Nikita looked after us well.

Really lovely place, five star service, gorgeous food and lovely atmosphere. And dog friendly too :)

We visited the Kimpton hotel today for Sunday lunch and was greeted by vaishnavi , who looked after our party absolutely brilliantly , nothing was to much trouble perfect and even brought me a birthday cake , the food was well cooked presented perfectly overall I wasn’t exspecting this exsperiance highly recommended

Delightful relaxed but upmarket eatery. Limited vegetarian choice but the dishes we had were delicious and we left replete without the deserts. Special thanks to the bar team who whisked us up Brandy Alexanders even though they aren't on either the cocktail or dessert menus. 😁🍸

Absolutely delicious. Had the pork belly and it was well worth it. Our waitress Nikita was lovely and made sure we had a lovely evening.

Enjoyed having the breakfast buffet here every morning. We stayed at the Kimpton clock tower which is attached.

Food was amazing. The goats cheese dish is not worth even half the price they charge, but everything else was worth it, top quality and well cooked. The service was so bad. I asked for the service charge to be removed and even that caused issues. For context, we waited for 6 mins after ordering drinks for the server to then ask us what we ordered again. Once ordered, she took the food order. The 7 small dishes of food arrived 15 mins later, but still before our drinks. Nobody cleared out mains plates, we ordered dessert and coffee, for the desserts to arrive (wrong) before any mains plates still cleared. No chance for a 2nd drink either. Mixed experience.

Saturday the 11th I booked a table for 2, the food was tasty we ordered tapas style dishes, Ebony looked after us she was polite & Friendly I would eat here again well done!!

Food was delicious and service by Vaishnavi was excellent! She was attentive and very thoughtful.

Lovely food and great service, sockets and decent wifi, fab for a working meal near Oxford Road station

Always enjoy the Refuge, food was delicious, great wine and fabulous cocktails, the service was really really good, our waitress Vaishnavi was amazing nothing was too much trouble she is a real credit to the company.

The building is gorgeous inside and the food was sublime. Sunday dinner service was both quick service and tasty with excellent staff on hand. The dinner itself is not cheap but I do find it to be worth the price.

Staff were really friendly and great. Our waitress helped us with the menu. Love the Winter Garden, was surprise there were no afternoon tea sets. Feel like it's a missed opportunity. We had the: - Grilled squid, vizcaina sauce, Spanish black pudding (small portions but decent, not a wow though) - Buttermilk-fried chicken, chip shop curry sauce, mushroom ketchup (this was surprisingly very nice) - Mojo rojo pork belly, miso aubergine, yoghurt (So delicious and highly recommend) - Slow-cooked beef cheek, butterscotch celeriac, remoulade (Nice as well and very soft) - Beef fat mashed potatoes, overnight onions, beef gravy (yummy mash)

Poor service, strange menu. The service here left much to be desired — took ten minutes or more to get asked if we wanted drinks. We received our appetizers after 20 minutes, which was fine, but it took another 10 minutes to get the first drink (Bloody Mary,) and another 15 to get the second drink (Flat White,) and the flat white only came when we flagged down a server that wasn’t our own to ask about it. The menu is definitely strange. Perhaps not to personal taste, but it was also very limited in options altogether. Quite a disappointing meal, since the stay at the hotel was very lovely.

Great place and the service is excellent (high five to Suma). Highly recommend if you want to enjoy both great cuisine and a beautiful building at the same time

Popped in for a few cocktails before going to the theater on boxing day. Beautiful building. The cocktails were very good indeed.

Gorgeous venue, beautiful food, outstanding service. Kat was very efficient, friendly and provided service second to none.

Spent New Years Eve here and had a great night. We had the 5 course meal and had the table all night so could nip up for a dance. Had a fun night!

Had breakfast at Refuge with my kids this morning and Sara was amazing! She was super friendly, smiled the whole time, and really made us feel welcome. Such a great vibe—thanks for making our morning! 😊

Had a lovely roast dinner waited by the lovely Suma. She made our experience delightful. The atmosphere is amazing. Would highly recommend this spot if your in Manchester. A must go!

We had a great time at Refuge. Very beautiful, colonial style bar and restaurant. Enjoyed the Sunday roast very much and the service was great. Vaishnavi who served us was super sweet and helpful.

A beautiful lunch! Denisa was fabulous and the Sunday roast was exceptional.

Amazing food and stellar friendly service. Highly recommended. Plenty of vegan options.

The food was good, unfortunately some on the menu was not available. The service of vaishnavi was great.

Had a delicious meal here on Christmas Eve. Stunning building . Thankyou Vaishnavi for the friendly and excellent table service . Back soon !

Had breakfast Christmas morning, Ash my server was lovely and very helpful and made me feel very comfortable and the other staff I spoke to were very friendly. There were a lot of options and everything was delicious 😋

Great location and our waitress Vaishnavi was an angel! She took good care of us and made our day. We’ll definitely come back with our friends

Drinks a little expbut it is manchester

Everyone in the North West needs to try the Sunday lunch at Refuge at least once in their life! Our Sunday Roast here was absolutely divine with food at another level to anywhere else in Manchester. The surroundings of The Refuge make the perfect atmosphere for food and good times with friends!

So torn with this place - it’s close to work so a regular for us. Atmosphere, drinks, food are all great but the same issue every time is slow service. The bar is big and poorly staffed so queues form in random places and no system to serve people swiftly. Really does let the place down.

Super smiley lovely service - thanks Noemi! And really yummy food. Bar noise a little loud, but overall would deffo come back.

Just had drinks but very nice large venue

It's such a beautiful place inside here. Really chilled atmosphere and great vibe inside. If your a insta/social media pic hunter get yourself down to refuge. Get some amazing food drink and top quality pictures!!

Breakfast was fab, and Ash made it even better by being so friendly and attentive.

Lovely atmosphere, great food and our server Michael was fantastic. Would highly recommend and will definitely be back if visiting Manchester again.

Michael was a brilliant waiter, the food was gorgeous and the service was super slick!

Fantastic Sunday lunch. Love the atmos, food and service.

All style, zero substance. Laughable experience. Our party of 11 booked on for the Christmas set menu at a price point of £45 per head. At such a price point, one would expect a certain level of competence. How wrong we were. Upon hearing that one of our party doesn't eat pork, our waiter told us that means she HAS to have the vegetarian option as no menu adjustments could be made. You'd think being unable to cater for Halal requirements would be something that you're informed of upon booking or that they could facilitate the seemingly straightforward task of ensuring the pigs in blankets are kept separate to the rest of the food whilst in preparation. Apparently not. When bringing out the starters, it became apparent that there wasn't enough salmon for everyone. We queried this and apparently it was one small piece of salmon per person. However only 5 pieces of salmon appeared. Our waiter conceded that he did not bring enough and bought out one extra piece. When we asked where the rest was, he informed us that he had provided enough as it was 6 meat and 4 veggies. Apparently no pork means that you can't eat salmon, who knew? Also riddle me this, does 6 and 4 amount to the 11 in our party? We finally confirmed that there were 8 meat eaters, one without pork and 3 veggies. So we asked whether we would now have the correct amount of starters. Our waiter laughed in our faces and walked off. At this point, we're now 90 minutes into our meal and we've seen an incorrect starter and one order of drinks. Of all the places that one could be both hungry and thirsty, surely a restaurant should not be one of them. The lack of attention to our table was baffling, so much so that even taking the rather extreme and petulant measure of raising a hand like a schoolchild to attract a waiter didnt raise any questions to the staff. We were informed that to make the adjustments for our party, we should expect a delay on the food so after about 1 hour and 45, the mains arrived. Underwhelming is the word. Already dehydrated from the lack of drinks service, the turkey sapped any remaining moisture from me. There was something that resembled a roasted carrot. Bland would be complementary. I think the biggest kicker was that the venue wasn't even particularly busy as a level of justification. The whole time, I was expecting someone to jump out and tell us we were being pranked. The venue itself is very nice but if you're considering their Christmas meal, go elsewhere.

DO NOT GO HERE FOR A CHRISTMAS MEAL. The price was £45pp - for this amount of money, you'd expect excellent food and high quality service, which was the opposite of what we experienced. Yesterday night, the staff could not understand the dietary requirements of our party, even though we'd clearly explained them weeks in advance, and were told they could be catered for. This led to the staff consistently bringing out the wrong meals. When we questioned this, the manager was hostile, argumentative, and laughed at our requests - it was absolutely appalling behaviour. All vegetables that were served with the main meal (except maybe the potatoes) were ludicrously bland - it was difficult to tell what food we were even eating at times. The service was slow and empty glasses were left on the table for eons, even though the restaurant was not particularly busy (which says a lot, considering the day we went is probably the most popular day of the year for groups of people to go out for a Christmas event). We were sat down for about 90 minutes before our main meal was served. The reason I'm giving this establishment 2 stars instead of 1 is because the rude manager conceded that the service was poor enough to warrant a 50% discount for our food. Additionally, a different, much more professional manager served our table towards the end of this ordeal, and he was kind enough to also remove the cost of 1 bottle of wine from the bill. However, the staff still had the unbelievable AUDACITY to add a 10% service charge to our bill, which we promptly requested to be removed. The venue itself is nice, and I imagine it's a decent place to just have a drink, but what we experienced last night for our Christmas meal was frankly shocking.

Stayed here for dinner and service was extremely quick didn’t feel like we were waiting too long. The restaurant is next to a bar but not nearly as loud. The lights aren’t too bright and the atmosphere is enjoyable. Tables are a bit close together in certain sections but isn’t a big deal. The look of the restaurant is very pleasing. Would go again!

Just came for drinks but we’re bowled away with how lovely the service was! We had Federica who served us and she was really attentive and friendly and helpful xxx

Suma was a lovely waitress to us! Super friendly and helpful she made our time here delightful ❤️

Went for coffee with a friend. Nice surroundings

Wonderful classic British bistro.... Roast beef & Yorkshire pudding to die for! Sticky toffee pudding....worth living for! Service Stars...Alisha/Vaishnau..... Great staff!

I didn't even know this was a bar/restaurant, I always thought it was an office block! We only popped in for a quick pint before going on the markets on a dismal Saturday afternoon! What an amazing bar it is, very ornate with the ceramic tiled walls and high ceilings! Look at my other reviews to see where I've been!

Absolutely awful experience here. We booked a private room for a Christmas do and had to pre order a few days in advance with a minimum of £550. On arrival we were told that half of the things we’d pre ordered they didn’t have, meaning everyone had to re order. When food came out there was a meal missing which we were told would be at least another 20 minutes (it was a lot longer) and was cold when it arrived. All side orders were missing and came after the food was already finished. We ended up leaving before the final course as the service was so appalling and neither the waitress or the manager had apologised at all and the manager instead that we must have got it wrong. The manager was extremely rude, interrupting us each time someone attempted to explain the situation and we left with no resolution and having to pay for cold food that wasn’t even what we ordered. Disgusting place.

My guy Saukhyad made the experience fantastic!

We tried to call and book in a few times during the day and couldn't get through. We arrived and there were no tables available. Fran the manager was incredible. He bent over backwards to squeeze us in as it was a special occasion for a friend. The food was incredible and you can tell the chef has passion. The service was also top notch. Friendly staff and amazing food, amazing atmosphere. Absolutely quality.

Great food, really generous portions. Lovely cocktails and a great atmosphere. Not too loud, not too quiet. Saukhyad was really helpful when it came to making sure the food I had was gluten free. Thank you!

Amazing birthday meal! Service was 10/10 with Saukhyaal. We had such a lovely night!

Great atmosphere for our team Christmas party, with great service from Saukhyad.

An excellent breakfast and our waiter Nikita was very helpful and friendly.

Great pub for socialising. Love it here

Had breakfast here few days ago, the food was amazing, and Sarah was very welcoming!

Let me tell you beforehand , the food here is to die for ! It’s so good that you’ll visit again and again ! The service and the quality of food is beyond my expectations

A mixed bag. I have been to The Refuge several times before and loved it, but this time round, it was a disappointing experience 😔 The food wasn't great at the restaurant and we only came for the food ☹️ The hummus was substandard. We had to send back two small plates as the chicken was overcooked and dry. By the time the new plates arrived, we had already eaten our remaining food. It put us off ordering any dessert. A small bugbear. The Glamour of Manchester gin cocktail was served in a prosecco glass (!) I really wish bars and restaurants would stop doing this. Cocktails should be served in appropriate cocktail glasses, and at £13.50 a pop, it should at least be in a nice looking glass please 🙏 On a side note, the female toilet cubicles need alot of attention. It's not acceptable to have such messy and unclean cubicles for what is, overall, a lovely looking venue. I realise it must be challenging for staff on a relatively busy Saturday afternoon, but it's off putting and unhygienic. Ending on a positive though, the service was great; our server and her colleagues were professional, very friendly and helpful, which was much appreciated, thank you 😊

Federica always knows my order and makes the best cocktails! Love it there!

A brilliant experience today at Refuge. Huge thank you Vaishnavi for looking after us so beautifully!

Lovely roast dinner with excellent service from Michael

Special call out for our waiter Michael who was excellent. Really knowledgeable and super helpful. Great food!

We had a lovely time, thanks to Michael our server. The food was amazing and the place is gorgeous.

We sampled their new festive menu which was absolutely gorgeous. Wonderful service from Vaishnavi and beautiful surroundings. Is a Manchester must!

Dark and noisy on a Saturday afternoon. The queues for the bar were incredibly slow.

We sampled their new festive menu which was absolutely gorgeous. Wonderful service from Vaishnavi and beautiful surroundings. Is a Manchester must!

We had an amazing evening meal at the Refuge. The surroundings were exquisite, and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. They staff are attentive and welcoming, and the service is excellent. The meals were tasty and well cooked, and our compliments went to the chef and the waiting staff. It was a memorable evening for us, and the staff made it special. Many thanks.

This is such a beautiful bar in a really lovely listed building. I’ve been here for drinks in the day before and on Friday night I went there again with my friend for drinks. The cocktail list had some unusual choices and we really enjoyed our drinks. We also enjoyed watching them being made. It was really busy but we managed to get a seat and it was a really fun atmosphere.

Lovely food, atmosphere and vibes. Vaishanavi was great and attentive and very welcoming, we had a lovely time! Recommended to visit and Sunday lunch looks amazing !

Lovey building. Enthusiastic waitstaff, but overall service lacking. Food overpriced for what we received, arrived before drinks and mostly lukewarm (admittedly didn’t complain as we were hungry and was just warm enough to eat). I would go again for drinks but I’d give the food a miss

nikkita was amazing and very welcoming❤️

We recently dined at the exquisite Refuge Bar & Restaurant in Manchester and had an absolutely impeccable experience. From the moment I was seated until the very end of my meal, our waiter, Saukhyad, provided top-notch service that truly exceeded all of our expectations. Saukhyad’s professionalism was outstanding - he was attentive, courteous, and displayed an in-depth knowledge of the menu that was impressive. His friendly demeanor made us feel right at home and added an extra touch of warmth to the dining experience. I must say, in a time where customer service seemed to have vanished after Covid, Saukhyad and the entire team at Refuge Bar & Restaurant truly got it spot-on. Moreover, the building itself is stunning, the decor is nothing short of fantastic, and the overall atmosphere was simply magical. The addition of a talented DJ only served to enhance the ambiance and made our night truly unforgettable. We cannot recommend Saukhyad and the Refuge Restaurant enough - a five-star experience all around. Thank you for an evening filled with delectable cuisine, incredible service, and we’ll be back when we return to Manchester

I tried to book a table for my family of nine and was told that they would not take a booking that large. On what planet is 9 too many to book for, when it mentions on Open Table that it is a good place for special occasions and groups, evidently not! A number of us were flying in from the USA and we had booked into the Clock Tower Hotel. They recommended Refuge to us, but because of this appalling service we have now made alternative arrangements for both the meal and accommodation. Poor show!

Beautiful location and very friendly staff!

Great place for a couple of beers before our night out

Ebony was a wonderful server. She was friendly, knowledgeable and great for helping us make choices.

Beautiful food, grand setting, friendly staff and management.

Fabulous food, drink & ambiance.

I like eating out and exploring new places. Great mid-week vibe at the bar, an impressive entrance. However, our evening at the Refuge was disappointing, our table was booked for 7pm and was made up for one place setting only. I had to ask for a plate and cutlery. We were both hungry, starters were very small, but the main course plates followed the same theme. The smallest steak I have ever seen, at £45 for a ribeye, I was hoping to be impressed. Rock hard veggies were inedible. Very few chips. Really poor food. My only regret is not booking somewhere else. A disappointing experience.

Went here for drinks with some friends. Delicious cocktails but pricey! Lots of seating and space. We went on a Friday night and there was a DJ.

Dinner and drinks in a lovely setting. Cocktail was delicious. Only downside was the time it took to be served both times. We also had sharing plates which were great but no serving spoons.

Lovely evening at The Refuge. Food and drinks were delicious and our server Saukhyad provided excellent customer service

A beautiful refuge in the heart of an Autumnal Monday night. Saukhyard was diligent and caring and brilliant in his recommendations.

Had some great food here on the weekend, my server Holly was fantastic!!

Saukhyad made or meal very pleasant. He really looked after us.

Excellent food with excellent service,

Beautiful decor, divine food and perfect service! Thank you Jared and Vaishnavi!

Had a wonderful stay at the hotel and a fabulous breakfast, ash gave us such wonderful service during breakfast service and Matt made me the most amazing cappuccino looking forward to my next visit!

Lovely place for eating or just drinks

Very good breakfast and pleasant service from our waitress, Nicky.

Fantastic breakfast and wonderful service from Sarah and Matt 👍

The food was excellent, and Holly was great — super friendly and helpful. Lovely place with good vibes and service. Definitely recommend.

There was a good variety of food to choose from at breakfast. Our server Evie was very friendly and helpful. Ten out of ten for both.

Bar service was excellent and our server was full of knowledge and a great maker of cocktails. The building is phenomenal. But the bar area was an absolute catastrophe. Tabes full of glasses and mess everywhere (had a show at the palace theatre, book of mormon) and there wasn't enough staff drafted on to help clear.

Vaishnavi was an amazing waitress! Great experience

We visited last Saturday with some friends and loved it. I had the pork belly and it was divine, would definitely recommend. Holly was a waitress and her service was brilliant

Hollys service was excellent, very kind and polite. The food was also amazing. Definitely recommend.

Our waitress Alisha was excellent. She couldn’t be more helpful. Thank you.

Great breakfast, our server Ash was excellent too. A great experience. Highly recommended!