Sam’s Chop House

One of the original chop houses with a cosy time travel feel to it. We went on New Years Day to make the best of their regular January sale of 50% off food (excludes the Scallops with Black Pudding and Ribeye Steak). It’s a great deal but their pricing of filling artisan English food (locally sourced) is generally reasonably priced at around £14 a main and £7 a starter, Steak n Kidney pie and Pie of the day, Corned Beef Hash with poached egg and home made brown sauce, Wild Mushroom Wellington and Slow Braised Beef in Red Wine with horseradish mash are just a selection of a Cordon Bleu take on the English kitchen. A great treat to surprise your sceptical overseas guests.

Pub grub was on the menu for tonight. After reading Emily’s review, who stated this is a non burger, perfect sit down place to bring the parents/​inlaws I was sold.
At the moment there’s is some construction work going on, which threw our sense of direction off. However If you overlook the fencing you should see Grinch and Pret a mange .this is the street you need to be on.
Anyway this place is warm, festive and inviting. Laden with natural wood panels, low beams, pictures and a plentiful bar. At the back there was a more formal dining area, however this was fully booked. You can eat in the pub area though which is still just as nice.
Thier festive menu contains pâté, cheeses, pies, steaks, veggie Wellingtons and various fish dishes so there is something for everyone. Two of us went to the bar to order scallops with black pudding (£9.95 each). While the others brought a bottle of red and white wine back for the table.
When the starters arrived, it did not look a tenners worth and I imagined there would be more fish than cooked pigs blood. The flavour combinations of black pudding, scallops and cauliflower were as good as I imagined. However the black pudding apparently wasn’t your average kind, it was Cakey… I was a Black pudding virgin so I had nothing to compare it to.
For mains I ordered the Hake with a barley stew, two of us had the fish and chips and one the steak.
Mine arrived first, which bobbed in a rich red wine sauce. again £14 was pricey for the portion, and the sauce destroyed the flavour of the delicate fish.
The rib eye steak arrived next which was a chunky piece of meat cooked to order. But… when the fish arrived… there was a lack of consistency. One was battered beautifully with home made chips… the other was a scrap of batter with very little fish. The waiter had seemed sheepish when he delivered this and scarpered. So we chased and made him replace it. The replacement was as it should be.
For £2.50 an extra peppercorn sauce was ordered. this was so bad we asked for our money back. It was greasy and lacked flavour.
Finally we shared a single honeycomb cheesecake… there were no issues with this. perfect texture and flavour.
Overall this was a beautiful cosey pub, which provided beautifully presented food. But for a price.
Some of it was overpriced and the fact we had several issues ruined the night. It lacks consistency. Some of the waiters were great, while others were… slippery.
I will come back drinking but nothing more.

When your parents are visiting and you want a) a proper sit down meal and b) no burgers, hot dogs or pizzas, one of the Chop Houses is your best bet. I’ll admit that Sam’s was my third choice after Tom’s and Albert’s, but it was the only place not fully booked at lunchtime.
I booked through Opentable which was simple, and staff were very helpful when I phoned to alter the booking. Long story short, we were those terrible customers who change their booking and then show up at the original time anyway. Argh! Nobody batted an eyelid though and we were shown to our cosy table in the dining area.
As most of us had eaten a sandwich a few hours previous and weren’t ravenous, we went for just mains, even though the starters looked great. Between us we ordered the beetroot and goats cheese pie, the corned beef hash, the pork belly, and the chicken breast. If I hadn’t been in full on ‘wintry comfort food’ mode I’d have ordered a fish dish as there was a few on the menu.
My dad and I each got a beer flight made up of three thirds. The selection wasn’t entirely inspiring so I just asked for three dark ones and he asked for three light ones. They were all OK but nothing to write home about. It’s nice they offer the flight but would be nicer with some more interesting beers.
The food arrived quite quickly and all looked very attractive. We didn’t order any sides as everything came with some sort of carb, and the portions were pretty substantial. I had the pork belly but tried a bit of everything else, and it was all really tasty.
The corned beef hash had a really intense flavour and was great — don’t get this if you’re expecting corned beef from a tin (great as it is), as this is proper stuff, more like salt beef. The pie (from Great North Pie Company I believe) was actually very nice even though I’m not the biggest fan of goats cheese. The chicken breast was a bit boring in my opinion but I would never personally choose it. It was really well cooked though and had a nice flavour, a million miles away from supermarket chicken that tastes of nothing.
My pork belly was very rich but not too fatty, and came with a really delicious vegetable stew of sorts, featuring pearl onions, barley, carrots etc. There was also some kale. It was a really nice comforting wintry dish, just what I wanted. There was also loads of pork. It was overall quite a heavy dish for lunch but I don’t regret it at all.
For dessert my mum and sister shared a white chocolate cheesecake and a black forest trifle and I had a very nice glass of Malbec.
I tried valiantly to pay the bill but failed, however I managed to spot that it was under £100 which seemed very reasonable for the quality of food for four of us.
I’d definitely come back here next time I want somewhere a bit nicer than your average Manchester joint.

I’ve been coming to Sam’s pretty much since I moved up north nearly 12 years ago (though this makes me feel old!). My first permanent job in Manchester was in the Stock Exchange (before the footballers bought it and the homeless people moved in) which is just round the corner so often came here at lunch or after work.
It’s been pretty reliable over the years and know what to expect. I mostly come just for drinks but have eaten here on occasion. One year, I came here for a Christmas meal and it was delicious with good service.
I was there last week for the Rugby World Cup final. After a mix up by Alberts (Tom’s, Sam’s and Albert’s are all part of the same group) they sent us here and looked after us very well.
On this occasion I had the burger which they kindly did without cheese for me. One friend had fish and chips and the other had the burger with cheese. All plates were clean as to be expected here. The menu is reasonably priced and is really well done pub grub.
I mixed my drinks, having Hendricks vodka and tonic as well as prosecco. The prosecco wasn’t the best I’ve had in Manchester but that’s not to say it wasn’t drinkable.
We had a good table for the big screen to watch the rugby, which was a thriller of a game. If you plan to come here to watch a sporting event and there are a group of you I would recommend booking ahead as it gets very busy and it’s not particularly comfy to stand up for 80 minutes.
Whilst Sam’s isn’t one of my first choices when thinking of somewhere to go out to eat or drink, it is a fine choice and it does what it does very well.

I had an excellent Sunday lunch at Sam’s Chophouse. The restaurant was really quaint and I loved the traditional feel of it. There was a big selection of different roast meats with all the trimmings but I opted for the vegetarian wellington. This turned out to be a good choice as the veggies wrapped in pastry were delicious and the mustard sauce that accompanied it was incredibly tasty. The Yorkshire pudding that my friend had with her roast was massive and the meat was very tender. The service was friendly but as the Sam’s was so busy we did have to wait a while for our food to arrive but it was definitely worth the wait.

I did not eat here, so there will be another future posting based on food I guess, there is a good selection of ales and the normal non-​alcoholic beverages and as a stop off point between one pub and another I liked this place a lot. I liked it although was disappointed as I feel a ‘Chop House’ should at the very least sell pork scratchings so felt let down by them failing to provide them (at the very least they should be a by-​product of things on the menu).

Just fantastic, elevated versions of pub food with outstanding service. A must go place.

I love the Manchester Chop Houses — Sam’s, Tom’s and the most recent addition, Albert’s are all fabulous, traditional British pubs and serve amazing traditional British grub to go along with it.
This was my first visit to Sam’s for food, as Neil C. and I had spent some time wandering around the City on Sunday with my Sister and Niece we really fancied a good old Sunday roast and we just knew that one of the Chop Houses would be perfect.
It wasn’t overly busy for a late Sunday afternoon so we managed to get a table straight away — always a bonus when you’re hungry, which for me is like all the time. The Sunday menu is great — they have such an amazing list of traditional foods with a very modern twist.
I ordered the Corned Beef Hash, which I first tried over at Albert’s last year and fell in love with. It’s amazingly salty pulled corned beef with sautéed potatoes and creamed onions, finished with dry cured bacon and a soft poached egg. It is great — by far one of the best dishes they serve.
Neil C. went for a pie from their specials menu (as it was National Pie Week!) The pie was filled with ham, black pudding and mustard and came served with creamy mash and buttered kale. It was really good too!

Excellent starters!

As a vegetarian I was always reluctant to eat here… But with my carnivore husband wanting to go — I finally ‘gave-​in’
Great building/​character/​atmosphere. Fantastic service from friendly & helpful staff. They were more than happy to give me my starter and side dishes as a main.
Will try Mr Thomas’ next ;)

Go on the website — 50% off voucher till end of Aug 2014! Fantastic value & delicious food! Very helpful staff, service of drinks perhaps a wee bit slow (but only because it’s so busy — which is absolutely fine in my books), lovely atmosphere too, cosy, good vibe. We had: pork pie (no jelly sadly but others may prefer that), smoked haddock scotch egg (unbelievably tasty — best starter I’ve had in a long time!!) then steak & kidney pie (HUGE!) & pork chop with crackling (perfect!) both came with delicious chunky chips. Then Eccles cake for pudding. Wow — we really enjoyed it but are totally stuffed! With this offer, our 3course meal for 2people with 2drinks (me — gin, him — pint) was £34…brill value for city centre good-​eats.

Now you can’t beat a traditional English pub, especially not one that serves such culinary delights as this.
Looking for some traditional, hearty, british fayre? Then this is your place. They also have their own cask beer, which accompanies most meals delightfully.
A personal favourite off the menu is the corned beef hash. It is phenomenal. Perfectly seasoned, homemade corned beef and potato formed into a little patty cake, topped with a poached egg, and served with their own brown sauce. My oh my, it’s amazing. I swear I remember a shard of crispy bacon too, but I might just have been dreaming.
Other greats off the menu that are definitely recommended, Steak and Kidney pudding, and also the chips. You’d better be hungry if you come here.
Great décor, nice and clean, friendly staff, very professional service. Get on it, if not, you’re missing a Manchester gem here.

I’d been walking past this place every morning and had never noticed it until my other half suggested a drink there. This below-​ground-​level pub is situated on Back Pool Fold in one of the city’s many well-​preserved Victorian buildings. Its interior boasts plenty of examples of this bygone era — with its shiny brass beer pumps, polished wood furniture, dark, intimate corners and even a sculpture of LS Lowry (which I thought was an actual person) perched at the bar. Apparently he is one of many famous faces to have walked through the doors of this fine establishment.
We haven’t tried the food there yet, but I’m certain we will. The menu offers hearty, traditional pub grub such as beer-​battered haddock and chips and promises a ‘modern twist’ to each dish.
Although the drinks selection isn’t quite up to my standards (a distinct lack of cherry beer *sobs*), Sam’s Chop House is still a bloody good place to enjoy a beverage and some banter. Bags of character, low lighting and a warm, clean ladies wc, you can’t really go far wrong.
So what are you waiting for? Chop chop!

My review is for dinner. which was mediocre at best. I sent the smoked salmon back, as it was slimy and tasted old. Likewise, my duck was weird… the leg portion tasted old, like it had been frozen since the dinosaur age then rapidly microwaved, sauced, and plated. However the breast portion, which was separate, was served almost rare– slightly bloody– which might be ok for steak but not fowl.
I realise that food tasting «old» is somewhat subjective… but like pornography, which is hard to define but easy to identify, I know old food when I taste it.
I wouldn’t eat here again, but I would come back for a drink with friends in the charming pub.

Oooooh I do love me traditional English grub on a cold wintery day! If traditional wholesome food is what you are after then Sam’s does the job. Went here on a crisp bright November Sunday for a late lunch. Opted for the roast beef with yorkie pud and it didn’t disappoint! Lovely thick slices of pink hand carved beef, fresh veg, roasties, and mini boat of gravy all crowned with a massive pud were laid before me. Others in the group opted for the roast lamb (equally as nice looking as the beef) and the corned beef hash topped with poached egg (this is next on my to try list here! Make sure you order veg with this one as its just the hash you get) and all looked appetising. Good selection of traditional deserts (Eve’s pudding, Eccles cake, crumble) but i was full to the brim after my generous main. Good list of wines as well i went for just the house red which was pleasing on the palate.
Bronze statue of Lowry by the bar is pretty cool if not a little unnerving!

We all want what we don’t have and tend to ignore what is our own… I guess its a similar situation in Britain — where curry is the national dish, there is a China Town in every big city and most of us have a rack of spices at home. Sam’s Chop House reminds us how ridiculously good, yet simple a true English meal can be.
Ahh the good old roast chicken, a mouth-​watering Sausage and Mash and a warm pie, definitely makes my heart melt. The beauty of a British cuisine is that it sounds very simple but it is also equally easy to screw it up. Sam’s Chop house has definitely mastered the art and rightly so because this is one of the oldest pubs in Manchester where the famous Mr Lowry had his supper and pint! You can see a human size statue of Lowry right at the bar (if you have a one too many to drink then you might just confuse the statue to be a real man). They have a great selection and range of beers; my German flat-​mate was extremely impressed to find her favorite beer from her native country here. This place is a good example of British Fine Dining, as it stands tall (should really call it short as it’s in the basement) right in the fine dining capital of Manchester (Kings Street). I am actually big fan of Mr Sam’s neighbor (Chaophraya) too.
The food is on the expensive side, be ready to shell out a minimum of 20 pounds to enjoy a meal for one person. I exchanged a friendly banter with the bar-​man — we spoke about different kinds of beer and the statue of Lowry.
Verdict: Love it and definitely going back again to try the Dessert because I was too full to try any last time!

Iconic Sam’s Chop House held a night of fine dining and wine matching last night, hosted by Château Musar’s Ralph Hochar and the charming George Bergier of Victorian Chop Houses. 5 courses, 5 matched wines, £50. What a deal for quality of this level. My taste buds are still rejoicing, and here’s why:
Located on Back Pool Fold off Cross Street, the evening is set in the dining room of one of Manchester’s most venerable buildings. The intimate and friendly group of roughly 20 food and wine enthusiasts settled into the evening with canapés and a delightfully fruity Musar Jenne Rose wine. Our glasses were filled by no other than Mr. Bergier himself, who took the time to chat with each guest and wooing us with his considerable charm. As we waited for the first course to be served, Ralph Hochar walked us through the history of his families three generations in the business and the rather fascinating story of the blossoming of Lebanon as a respected province in wine making. From the Ottoman Empire through today, it was a captivating tale of religious crusades, war and wine.
Our starter of rabbit terrine with elderflower and beets was paradise on a plate, which was served with a robust Mosaic Château Musar Cabernet Sauvignon, a special reserve wine exclusively for this evening.
Next came a dish of Scottish salmon and smoked eel, which was set off beautifully with a 2004 Château Musar Rose. Again, we were taken through the development of the wine from Mr. Hochar, giving us further insight into how this lovely bottle made its way from the Bakka Valley in Lebanon to our tables. Mr. Hochar’s engaging demeanour made each story informative and enjoyable, not preachy and pretentious as one might fear to be the case in such a setting. I’m not a connoisseur, so I was delighted there was no wine snobbery from anyone.
The highly anticipated main was a beautiful duck breast, duck leg sausage, gratin potatoes and roasted root vegetables in a glorious cranberry sauce. The lushness of the perfectly-​cooked duck was paired with two deep red wines… both Gaston Hochar’s from 2001 and 2003. The intricacies of how each vintage was made was told. A hush fell over the crowd as we tucked in; the only sound to be heard was the clanking of silverware striking the plates.
As if the previous courses weren’t enough, along came our puds of apple bakewell with toasted almond ice cream. The pastry was flaky and light, with the apple filling a perfect ratio of sweet and tart. This was served with a beautiful Château Musar White 200. I’m not a huge fan of dessert wines, but this was a perfect complement to the apple dish.
If you missed out on this magnificent evening, fear not… Mr. Bergier will be hosting regular wine matching dinner events in the coming months. It’s something to be added to every bucket list.

Sam’s Chop House is a remarkable Victorian public house /​restaurant complete with a bronze statue of local artist Lowry propping up the bar.
Once you’ve sampled the selection of beverages, head down to the restaurant which is a superb example of a Victorian dining hall with resplendent tiled walls.
The service is exemplary, with every employee seemingly very happy to be there.
The menu includes the finest British fayre.
I must confess, I’ve tried many of the dishes & would struggle to pick a favourite. The last time I visited, I enjoyed a whitebait and chip starter, followed by their huge & fabulous famous corned beef hash. With just enough room for dessert, I opted for local delicacy, the humble Eccles Cake, which was comfortably the best I have ever had.
If you are looking for good sized portions of high-​quality British food in very pleasant surroundings, then this is the place!

Old work style pub (actually hasn’t been around that long) situated in basement of old Victorian warehouse (below Chaophraya) with stone flagged floor.
Pricey beer but good selection with sit down restaurant at rear, which unfortunately for eaters you have to put up with drinkers walking through to access toilets.
Great atmosphere an gets packed in an evening.
Traditional British food, the Manchester Sharing platter for two makes a great lunch.

I have only ever had lovely experiences at Sam’s.
Mini-​fish & chip butty’s with mushy peas and beef sarnies share a menu with fine soups and a la carte dishes. I highly recommend the sharing plate for lunch as it caters for all tastes and can happily feed three (if your mum is like mine and doesn’t eat much, otherwise two maximum!) The drink selection is good for non-​beer drinkers, with lovely wine, though I would say that their cider selection could do with expanding. I’m happy with Rekorderlig but I did expect to see some local names, slightly dissapointing not to!
The atmosphere is great and can get really busy, but stick around if there aren’t any seats, some will come available. Take a look at the artwork on the walls and cartoons dotted around, or have a photo taken with the bronze Sam at the bar — kudos for anyone who doesn’t mistake him for a real person at least once! Music selection is worth sticking around for alone as Stevie Nicks and Bruce sing you through dinner.
The thai restaurant above is delicious, well worth heading too if you don’t fancy pub grub, BUT those who mistake them for the same place should never cross me. Sam’s is it’s own place, all wooden floors and low ceilings, a real Manc institution.

Nice Bar and Restaurant.