The Waggon at Birtle in Rochdale

Excellent hygiene standards and D + L are superb hosts.

The front of house is excellent with service excellent as attentive but relaxed. Fish is really good here, as are the steaks … well as if everything! The best restaurant in Bury and one we will be returning to again. Note that the website does not show the full extent of the specials which are very good.

Fantastic food, never fails to impress 😁 100% recommend.

Excellent food.Good menu.Lovely vegetarian options. Service excellent. Comfortable surroundings.Easy parking at the front.

Fantastic food, great wines n friendly service

He the best meals we’ve had in the local area. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. Great selection of food and super tasty. Well worth a visit.

A good choice of excellent food, perfectly cooked and the service is exceptionally friendly as well as very professional.

Went for Sunday lunch beef perfectly cooked all veg and trimmings served hot deserts excellent service perfect would certainly go again

The food here is good . The chef obviously has skills and imagination. Front of house are always welcoming and quietly efficient

Great food and service. Generous sized tables which are well spaced. A little quiet but still lovely.

Food a little too salty, 3 if us in our party and all said the same, very quiet so obviously not much atmosphere probably different in the evening.

Visited here on Sunday, I can highly recommend it, the food was absolutely stunning, great hosts, great restaurant well worth the 45 minute drive. The fish is so fresh and if your a lover of Crème Brule as I am you wont be disappointed, huge thank you to all the staff there. We will be back

What a hidden gem can’t believe not been here before. Food was absolutely outstanding everything first rate could not fault anything group of eight people us and not one complaint will return again and again. Staff were outstanding and extremely friendly 5 stars ⭐️

Very nice meal and staff very accommodating. A really nice evening out!

I was there in a party of 28 for the Christmas menu. Each course was served quickly, no table waiting whilst another had finished. Hot plates, delicious food and plenty of it, 3 courses mince pies and coffee. I've been a few times they never disappoint

Gorgeous food, lovely staff, very descent prices. Which made a wonderful night. .

This is always our first choice for Sunday lunch. Great for a roast or fabulous fish or other dishes of the day. A small menu always impresses me, it usually means that what they do, they do well. It certainly applies here. Lovely service, interesting food and a relaxed atmoshere. What more could we ask for? A taxi home so that I could have a drink maybe!

I took my elderly parents who miss Nutters and this is the closest that we can find. Yes it’s old fashioned and that’s a complement as food, service, decor and atmosphere are going back in time to when meals were enjoyed and not instagrammed. Fish was great, steak ok and lots of regular customers . Well trained staff and a calm place to eat.

Initially on booking thought was perhaps a limited menu, however, we had starter, main and dessert and every course was extremely well cooked and presented. Staff were warm friendly helpful and most attentive . We were early doors so not much atmosphere but well worth a re-visit and a recommendation to friends. Thank you for a lovely evening. That ginger sponge ❤️

Great food, great views, ok beer

We have been many times. A fabulous meal at reasonable price. Very good service

We have been visiting The Waggon for many years, the food is wonderful. There is a range of seasonal dishes and a few consistent favourites. I am not the person who orders fish but when I am at the Waggon I do. Their fish dishes are phenomenal. We have just been for their Jubilee special, Lobster Thermidor it was superb. Friendly staff and really know their business.

Excellent meal.staff lovely and friendly.can definitely recommend their beef Sunday roast.

16th wedding anniversary lunch. 3 course for us both. Absolutely brilliant meal. The Rhubarb mess was sublime as a Pudding. Have a Gander's for their menu's online. As Arnie said " we'll be back " not wait another 16 years 🙂🙂🙂 Thank you Lorraine and Team for making it such a great meal.

Walking in i felt bad for speaking over a whisper , the dining room has no atmosphere. Decor is very dated and the carpet should be burnt immediately. Menu looked ok albeit on folded paper . No beer on tap at all , wine selection was good. Ordered a tempura haddock for starter and was superb , sadly all down hill from there. Ordered a steak ( £25 ) . The piece of meat served was inedible. To describe the taste is was a mix of chemicals and old grill . Other members of the party tried it and agreed. This is the first time in my life i have ever returned a meal . Waitress took the steak away , come back from the kitchen stating they had all tried it and it was fine . If the chef thinks that steak was fine i would suggest a palate cleanser. They took the steak off the bill but didn't offer me a replacement , meaning i went home hungry ! not ideal to say the least !! The staff were great to be fair and were welcoming . Unfortunately the decor and food let it down . Won't be rushing back.

Attended with group of friends had an excellent meal. The calves liver was wonderful. Service top class as always.

Absolutely love this place,lovely food 😋 staff lovely also highly recommend.

Great food and service. Been reliable since it opened , must be 20 years ago. Good place for a quiet meal and a proper chat

Saturday night meal, the food was exceptionally tasty, good portion size and choice. Great wine & coffee, we will definitely be returning soon!

Enjoyable evening with our family as usual . Food great.

One of the best meals I have ever had. Cooked by chef that has a michelin star which is why everything was so fresh and beautifully made and well presented. Cost of food was very reasonable.

Listen it’s ok. The place itself is nice to be fair. The staff are ok. The food is ok. Its expensive for what it is though. I’m more than happy to pay the going rate that’s no issue at all but we’ve been a few times and it’s never been better than ok.

Just enjoyed a beautiful meal using their Covid lockdown collection service. From initial enquiry through to order and collection, the staff were extremely helpful. Have visited prior to the pandemic and had a lovely meal and exceptional service and this was no different. Excellent value and the meal was pipping hot when we got it home. Good luck to all at The Waggon during these difficult times.

My favourite restaurant and right on our doorstep too. Always serves exceptional, delicious food. We’ve just had the best fish, chips and mushy peas takeout given the current lockdown. Lovely home made tartar sauce too. Lorraine and the team are simply fabulous.

Excellent evening and excellent food as always. Thank you very much.

This restaurant is on our doorstep and we have only been once when it first opened. Some 10 years later, we have ventured back and was the best meal we have had in a long time. The food was excellent and the service was good. The menu is limited but there is something for everybody. Lots of attention has been paid to make sure you feel safe during Corona Virus. We will be back again.

Ignorant staff and average food

Wonderful food, really high quality. The menu is limited but as far as I could see every single dish was cooked to the highest quality. Great attention to beautiful flavours.

Greek theme night tonight. Food and atmosphere was 5 star.

Had our first Post lockdown meal at the Wagon at Birtle.The experience was very positive all precautions in place felt very safe.The food as always was excellent Staff very friendly We will be visiting again .

After 19 weeks, mostly through lockdown, fantastic to returnto our fave eating place. A usual warm welcome from the girls, wearing visors for safety, and straight to the social distancing table. Despite the new rules a comforting scenario. Food was as usual superb and great service. Excellento get back to Black Pudding followed by steak for me and Crab followed by fish of the day, Plaice, for the good lady. You guys are exceptional, serving up a great dining experience despite the health restrictions. Long may it continue.

We have loved our many visits to the Wagon at Birtle. Quality ingredients are used to create wonderfully tasty and satisfying dishes. I’m drawn to the fish specials and my husband to the game and steaks. There is also a great selection of deserts, and the best ginger sponge and custard ever. Really looking forward to returning after lockdown, and seeing the lovely staff.

Cannot recommend the wagon more highly, wonderful food. Fabulous service, and a really great atmosphere, would mark it 6 out of 5 if I could.

Superb modern British restaurant.

Went here in a party of 10 adults. The food was excellent, everyone enjoyed what they had. The only down side is the decor and the ambience, but the food was definitely 1st class, would certainly go again.

Superb food and lovely staff especially the ladie in charge who was even concerned about the sun getting in my eyes and came and adjusted the window blind !thank you .

Reliably super food and obliging staff. Enjoy theme nights, a la carte is never disappointing and market menu always good too. Excellent fish dishes

I was treated to an evening at The Supper Club for my birthday - the theme for this month being "Game". It didn't disappoint, four delicious courses the highlight of which was the amazing venison cottage pie, could have eaten a bucket full!We now look forward to celebrating a delicious Christmas Day lunch with Lorraine and the team and thanks to you all for another year's wonderful dining.

I love this restaurant and have enjoyed many visits. The food is exquisitely prepared and delicious. There is always a warm welcome and a lovely peaceful atmosphere. One of the best!!!

Good food,great ambiance, well recommended.

We really love our Supper Club nights as you are never quite sure of what you will get, except a warm welcome and excellent and varied food.. This month's Halloween was no exception. The usual warm welcome from Lorraine and Lisa, and a range of exceptional food from the kitchen. The food ranged from the "simple", Spiced Pumpkin and Squash Soup, the "delicate", Seafood Risotto Cake, the "warming" Meat and Potato Pie through to the "comforting" Sticky Fig and Ginger Cake. All superb dishes from David and both of us are looking forward to November's Game night.

The Waggon is the only other Good Food Guide establishment in Rochdale, apart from The Bird At Birtle, a few hundred metres down Bury Road. It's a while since I've dined there so it was comforting, on a visit last night, to find that it's more than maintained its standards and reputation, Our party of four friends largely opted for their Market Menu which, though limited to a choice of three starters, mains and sweets, is remarkable value for £19.50 (3 courses inc coffee or tea; 2 courses £17.50). My fish cake with saffron and caper mayonnaise was fine-textured and flavoursome and my friends' pumpkin and squash soup (with tandoori and coriander crème fraiche) fortifying autumn fare, served piping hot, always a good sign. Loved the confit of pork main, with butter crushed potatoes, apple, mustard and cabbage cream, with celeriac, squash and tomato accompaniments. Perhaps my date, prune and ginger pudding with black treacle caramel, served with vanilla ice cream, did err on the small side but again it was gloriously rich and ideal for the season. Murmurs of satisfaction came from my mates, particularly relating to the Celeriac and Potato Pie and the Spiced Apple Crumble with custard. The Chilean Viognier Reserva (£24.95) was a gorgeously aromatic, tropical fruited choice of wine. There's also a more expensive a la carte menu with some tempting prospects including a fresh fish dish of the day. Our bill was £131 for four, including pre-meal drinks and the wine. On this showing, The Waggon, in my book, tops the more celebrated Bird; it's not as pretentious, more reasonably priced and benefits from more personal, friendly and attentive service. Some have claimed that The Waggon lacks atmosphere but I always believe that's of less importance if you're out on a date and, as for larger parties, you largely make your own atmosphere. If you've not been, give the Waggon a whirl; it's still my favourite Rochdale restaurant.

Firstly it is very expensive for what you get. I ordered the chicken which is a very small piece of chicken on top of mushrooms which was swimming in garlic oil the grarlic was exstreamly strong and the oil turned my stomach. Their was some mash which was lumpy and and very average veg.the whole experience was very disappointing and when i left most of my dinner no one asked why. Would never go there again

Excellent food and great atmosphere. The staff were really friendly and very knowledgeable. I had some questions on my food choice and they were very helpful explaining it all to me. Will definitely be going again!

The food was extremely average and very expensive I won't go there again. Very disappointing 😡

We stopped in for a Birthday lunch for a friend. The meal and service were very good. From the starters to the Sunday roast to desert everything was done nicely. The restaurant is a local gem, worthy of a detour.

Excellent as usual. Staff so helpful.

We recently held a wake here, following my father's funeral. The food was excellent, perfect for all ages and easy to eat as we chatted and reminisced. Very kind and helpful staff.

Been a while since we ate here.Friends had bought us a gift voucher which we could use at the Waggon.My husband had the starter of black pudding and horseradish and pate and then from the specials he had the calves liver and I had the hake,for pudding we shared the almond tart,washed down with a very nice red.All in all the food and service was excellent,anice amount of time between courses.We"ve already booked again.Thanks to all concerned for a very enjoyable evening.

Excellent food, however the selection of the menu is limited. It feels like you are sat in someone’s lounge rather than a restaurant.

Wonderful food, attentive staff. I would highly recommend this restaurant..

Lovely meal limited menu at lunch time

Enjoyed a rather splendid midweek meal for six here earlier this week. Our son and daughter in law were home from New Zealand for a visit and so we visited the Wagon with Emma's parents. A quick drink in the bar and we were sat at our table. There were a mixture of two menu's available plus a daily special fish offering of Hake or Baby Halibut.One of our party didn't opt for a starter so we had two Seafood Croquets, a Lamb and Potato fritter, a Chicken and Ham Terrine and my own Roasted Pepper, Tomato, Curry and Coconut soup which was smooth and creamy with just enough kick from the curry. Everyone was very happy with their opening course.Mains were Three pan fried Salmon, served on a bed of Courgette, Aubergine and Fennel drizzled in Lemon oil, which my wife said was extremely good. Two of us, including me had Roast Chicken with Basil and Tomato and crushed, buttered, potatoes. The chicken was lovely and moist. Our daughter in law opted for the special of Baby Hailbut, which looked lovely. Accompanying veg were Broccolli, Potatoes and Cauliflower with a Peri-Peri dressing. Every plate was thoroughly devoured.Desserts, two Plum Creme Brulee's (lovely if a tad small!), Two Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse, a very pretty Lancashire cheeseboard and a Licquorish and Blackcurrant ice cream, which my wife adores, plus various coffee's with fudge pieces rounded off a delightful meal, served with a smile from two excellent members of staff who looked after us very nicely.Drinks were Draught Dutch lager, Black Sheep Real Ale (bottled) and a really nice bottle of Chilean Merlot. It's not the biggest venue in the world but we couldn't find a fault with it, save for the Brulee bring a bit small, but we will definitely be making a return visit.

Really looking forward to this month's Supper Club, a favourite of ours Tapas. As usual warm welcome from Lorraine, Lisa and the girls. A bottle of Spanish Beer, Estrella Galicia, to start followed by four courses of innovative tapas, each perfectly balanced in size and flavour. Especially pleasing were the Fried Potatoes with Sour Cream, a lighter dish than the usual tomato based sauce. Looking forward to our next visit in September.

Always excellent - so friendly ..great food. My favourite restaurant. 10/10 top Marks

We have visited this restaurant several times for their Wednesday to Friday set menu. The food is interesting,well presented and cooked to perfection.outstanding value for a 3 course meal including coffee. Tables are well spaced with comfortable chairs and staff are always most welcoming and personable. We eat out regularly and look for interesting venues. This is very much one of our favourite places to eat. Outstanding!!!. Penny and Alan Sladen

This is our favourite restaurant and we have visited many over the years. The food is innovative and certainly not what you would receive in any fast food chain. The soups are always amazing and freshly prepared and the other starters are so different from what we have experienced elsewhere. The choice of mains, whilst not huge, never fail to offer something delicious and caters for both fish or meat lovers. The desserts are always a revelation in what a good chef can conjure up with imagination and flair. The Waggon has the most amazing staff who are led by Lorraine and Lisa. A visit to the Waggon provides an opportunity to dress up and enjoy a wonderful night out. Cannot recommend highly enough.

Great food, great service and atmosphere and lovely company. What more can you say!!!

Been coming here for many years and have been treated tonight, for my birthday, to some lovely extras. As usual a warm greeting and excellent food. The Pork Cheeks were superb and both of us had Roast Turbot which was impeccable. Chef David is innovative and cooks dishes that are so tasty. Many thanks for a great evening Lorraine, Lisa and David.

Been to this restaurant several times. Best food in the area !

Been here before years ago and it was great. Chef must have had a night off as main courses were terrible. No taste and over cooked.

We went here as a large group & were offered a select menu ( arranged in advance)

Very nice friendly atmosphere tastie food 👍

Welcoming,friendly and efficient staff. The steak cooked perfect.Nice atmosphere.Will definitely visit again.

Excellent food. Good room upstairs for small party

Beautiful meal for all four of us. We all had the sweet potato soup and then the sea bass . The meal was fabulous and we finished off with home made ginger sponge and custard. Divine!

Excellent service with a good menu and friendly atmosphere. Would highly recommend.

I had lunch at The Waggon to celebrate my daughter in law's birthday. It is notthe first time I have dined here. The food is always good and is more interesting and varied than any other restaurants in the area. I had sea food soup which came with a dish of croutons some delicious home made garlic mayonnaise and grated gruyere cheese. It was lovely. I then had confit duck breast which came with a sticky sauce and served with an appetising plate of vegetables and potato which complemented the duck. I scraped the dish clean. There is always a dish of homemade bread on the table of course. As we all watch our weight we di not have a dessert but they brought some delicious chocolate chip ice cream with a candle in for my daughter in law. The ice cream is of course made on the premises and is beautiful. I had a coffee to finish with some lovely home made fudge. I would recommend this to anyone. It is a very unpretentious place so don't expect a place where you go to be seen. The emphasis here is on the quality and cooking of the food.

When my wife and I get a rare night out kids free this is the place we always goto. We've been going here for about 15+ years and have never ever been disappointed. The food is absolutely amazing!! The staff are really friendly, helpful & lovely too. They also cater for gluten free which is a bonus. I can't recommend this place highly enough.

Have tried several times to book a table and finally visited on Sunday for lunch. Amazing truely wonderful. A very warm welcome given had a drink at the bar while deciding what to have. I had the black pudding starter and my husband had the terrine. Both starters so lovely, beautifully presented and so delicious. We both had the beef and this was amazing, pink but so good. We ordered a bottle of wine which sadly was sold out but on recommendation from the owner picked another. This was slightly more expensive but really worth it. Only to find out they charged us the cheaper price a very nice touch. I can’t wait to visit again this place really has lots to offer.

Fine dining at it's best, great quality food and lovely service

Mediocre food..... Worst Manchester tart I've ever tasted in my life.... Wouldn't go back

I can not fault the waggon! They never fail to impress. We have been visiting for many years, the food and the staff are prefect!

Our group of about 16 were just about satisfied. A few complaints, no atmosphere, no music, no service at the bar when the staff were busy. The food was reasonable and there was certainly plenty of it. Overall though I doubt us ever going back again.

Fantastic as always. Lovely food and staff. Best restaurant in Bury/Rochdale area.

We love the Wagon, Lorraine and Lisa are wonderful I keep calling Lisa, Lucy sorry ! I should know by now. The food is excellent service is great and you are warmly welcomed and the ladies remember your name and genuinely pay an interest in you, so combine the high quality food with a genuine welcome you have the perfect evening out. See you all soon xxx

As usual we were met by smiling and friendly staff, Lorraine and Lisa. The food continues to amaze as we started with a fantastic Tempura of Haddock served with fennel and onion mayonnaise. Next up was a superb Sesame Scallop with sweet corn vinaigette. Then on to what for me was the best of the evening, Roasted Salmon with a bean and bacon fish stew. The final offering was a lovely Caramelised Autumn Fruit glazed meringue. Looking forward to the "game" night in October and more excellent offerings from a superb chef!!

Having been a few times with 'the girls' and raved about it, it was time to let the hubby and parents experience this fabulous food.

On the 8th August my wife and I were invited to a 80th Birthday Celebration at the Wagon what a splendid experience it was.

This place is fabulous. Really great food and lovely staff. Couldn't recommend it more highly!

Everything about our evening was perfect. Great food with excellent service. I can't to return again.

Our second visit this month and as usual met with a warm greeting from Lorraine and Lisa. The food was superb as always, thank you chef Seafood Amuse Bouche, 1/2 Lobster Thermidor followed by a Strawberry Dessert. All accompanied by a bottle of Volleraux White Foil Brut. Superb food and pleasant and friendly atmosphere. Looking forward to the Tapas night.

Great food, great people, great service and great drink. I recommend you visit.

Great food and beverage with friendly staff

Brilliant food and today we had a live guitarists, always worth a visit.

Starters where a little dry. Mains and desserts good. Wine reasonably priced

Visited on a Thursday for dinner. Starters were great especially the oriental duck salad. Mains were nice, I’d recommend the fish specials but there was a too much black pudding compared to other elements on the pork dish. Desserts tasted lovely but bread and butter pudding was served in a glass dish straight from the oven which is impractical. Service was very quick and attentive. Great value especially if ordering from the market menu. Lovely restaurant and will definitely return.

Again another excellent meal, we had fish being Good Friday and it was the best I have had for a long time, I generally have the meat dishes ,visit relatives quite regularly as live in Cheshire, always look forward to going to The Waggon , my husbands cousin and wife go twice a week, lucky people, always book especially in the evening to save disappointment.

It's ok not bad food. Place could do with a little face lift.

We visited The Waggon on Friday night and what a treat it was. The food was delicious, good sized portions and we’ll presented. Service was perfect. I think we have found a gem.