BarCa

We came here for a steak dinner with wine as I had bought a voucher off the internet. We hadn’t been before and because of the name, I imagined it was some sort of Spanish restaurant. Alas, it was a sports bar! I think it now wants to boost its restaurant clientele. The interior is tired with a leak problem. The place needs a bit of updating if they’re hoping to do well as a foodie pub!
Having said this, the staff were lovely and it was obvious they were learning to get the hanging of food service but endearingly so. In addition to the steak dinner, we sampled their menu and although it was pub food, it was alright. The place still gets only two stars because of the atmosphere. There was sport playing TV, the toilets were not great and the surroundings didn’t provide for a nice meal.

Ice.
That’s what 99% of the cocktails are composed of. BUT, they are hella tasty.
It has a great outdoor area to people-​watch.
The waitresses are hot as hell, mate.
I like originality, and this bar is def not of the same ilk as the ones in the area.
Try it.

This place has so much potential but is running into deep water… and needs to action this fast.
First off the out door area is nice, this is what lured me in… but on a Friday night this place was dead… which is a bad sign…
I decided to pop in for a quick drink after work so after stepping inside… I felt like I had gone to Alice’s Wonderland (not in a good way)…the décor is confusing… containing swish high backed dining chairs, to pimp leather sofas, to large cow printed stuff… it just did not flow… all this mismatched furniture, lighting, ornaments and wallpaper was an eyesore…
The bar seemed quite swish with friendly bar staff… my friend ordered us two pints of Peroni which I know is not cheap but I did not expect this… the barman stated that there would be a 50p charge on your card for anything under £10.we had no choice to agree which made the bill £10.40!!!
While sitting down I inspected the menu… really generic pub food for stupid prices. and as we started getting comfy these rave lights started coming on supported with music that went from loud to quiet like the volume knob was broken… did they expect us to start dancing… just the two of us on a deserted dance floor?
I then downed my pint and left…
I can see that they have offered Groupon deals on this place. so you can tell they are trying to outreach to people… but they could do with having someone like Gordon Ramsey doing a make over show in there…

Coke from a soda fountain… no no no. Saving grace is the large outdoor patio area.

Post-​Manchester 10k, we headed to Castlefield as a large group to drink the sunny afternoon away. There’s a nice outside area, perfect for soaking up the weather, and nowhere near as busy as Dukes or Albert Square.
The inside isn’t quite as attractive as the outside, especially with the strange, white leather padded bar. Not quite my scene.
Bar service was fast enough considering the amount of people pouring in as they crossed the finish line, but their card machines weren’t working. Cue mass annoyance as, due to modern times or some such excuse, many of us weren’t carrying cash.
The highlight of the afternoon was the soul and Motown singer that serenaded us with Barry White and the like, boosting the atmosphere and helping a few hours pass by without trouble.
No need to rush back but good to have a back up for whenever Dukes is too busy.

Went for dinner on the groupon offer with some friends. We were very disappointed, menu looked great but was very confusing as we weren’t told we had to order at the bar and sat waiting for ages, it was very busy and we seemed do be the only table eating, I think they should stick to food during the day, I ordered the chicken which was very dry but the butchery platter we had for starters was ok and all enjoyed this. Just a shame as the food took forever and the service was very slow. Great place for drinks though as just by the canal.

After some naming diversions and wild attempts to do something different, this bar is now back to its old name. It’s as unappealing as it always was. A crappy selection of drinks, and a confused interior don’t help. Think sports screens combined with tired once-«plush» furniture.
A large outdoor seating area is probably the only reason you might come here. It’s telling that on a sunny day recently, other establishments in Castlefield were bursting full, but the outdoor area here still had plenty of tables available.

Barca boasts a lovely decked outdoor area with views of the canal, boats and ducks. They also provide outdoor heaters for those who want the views but don’t want to be shivering like crazy at the same time.
We tried a very nice cider on draught (which I’ve stupidly forgotten the name of) and they also stock a selection of real ales too, according to the blackboards outside.
The food menu looked good, offering a number of sharing platters at reasonable prices.
This is a great setting for an afternoon drink and lunch in the sun and I can imagine it being a lively nightspot too. Inside looks shiny and plush, so I can bet the office workers pile into here in their droves come 5pm on a Friday.
One thing I would criticise them for though: the toilets weren’t clearly marked (not marked at all actually) and therefore I think I went into the men’s! It was only when I went to wash my hands that I noticed a big condom machine by the sinks, twigged and got the hell out, sharpish — without even drying my hands!
I will definitely give this place another go when the weather gets a bit warmer but will make sure I head to the correct WC next time. Eek!

Came across BarCa by pure chance after walking through Castlefields. We decided that it would be nice to sit by the canal and enjoy the weather.
A waitress from the bar after about 15mins came out and asked from a few feet away did we want any drinks but you could tell she was bored and wasn’t really into the job she was doing.
We ordered two cokes and some water, which came to £4

Firstly the name Barca only and only reminds me of the best football team in the world, (you know which one i am talking about hopefully) but this place has got nothing to do with that. I secretly wished that this place would have a Spanish vibe at the least because its not just the football team but, Barcelona as a city itself is just incredible.
I have some awesome friends who invite me for the opening nights of new pubs and bars and yes I was invited for a similar do yesterday again for this place… ok ok I was late, not a bit but very. I was supposed to go there at 7 but I managed to get in only around 11 (I had work). The only problem with these kind of events are you bump into pretty much everyone you know if you work in media in Manchester (all these media kats just love such nights and god forbid if its a Thursday night). Castlefield is known for the posh crowd because the folks from Spinningfields just move here once the swanky bars there are shut and yesterday was no different — Men in suits, Women in designer casuals and lots of alcohol with a bit of pretense (ok, may be a little more than a bit but not as much as Spinningfields for sure).
BarCa has a great outdoor patio so definitely look out for it when the sun is shining, I think when Dukes gets overcrowded on a beautiful sunny day, this is the place you should hop to. The drinks were fairly cheap — 2 tequila shots and one pint was only 9 pounds (not bad eh?). There is a dance floor inside as well which seemed to be buzzing. But what’s with the interiors? Why is it not up-​to the standards? I understand grungy looking interiors in Norther Quarter or Oxford road, but for a bar in Castlefield I expect a bit of swank! The location is great because as I said its located right in the center of Castlefield so if you work around there do hop in for a drink.
Verdict: I think I need a better picture of this place, so probably visiting some other time when the sun is shining would be a good idea!

The bar was quite the place to be seen in the early 90s. The place has been through a few changes and the restaurant upstairs is very impressive. decorated a little flamboyantly. however the food is very good with an open kitchen.