The Mark Addy

Salford border — ran obviously by Salfordians! No wonder they’re a friendly bunch :)
Update — they’ve closed down the restaurant and now focusing on the pub, serving ALL of the ales and new décor, seating and a stage with a DJ. The prices are more than reasonable for drinks.
After speaking to the new owner, they are looking to push the place for events, especially comedy. They’re independent and want to work with other independent people.
Definitely a chilled atmosphere, with great seating outside in the alcoves — wicker chairs and benches and of course the classic round picnic tables with umbrella’s.
As it’s on the river, you get a great view and it’s great in the summer.

Initially this is a three star review, however I feel on return visits this may have to become a four star.
I only came here for a lunchtime pint so not really long enough to fully judge the venue, however initial impressions are good.
a nice selection of ales, need to have more time to work my way along them all
I like the low feeling to the ceiling, even though it’s not really ‘low’
I like that you’re next to the river, if only our wonderous mancunian water feature wasn’t so murky :-p
when you’re inside the Addy you do feel quite removed from the world which is great when you’re trying to escape work.
Sadly I didn’t try to the food, though from seeing what was coming to other peoples tables, this will definitely have to happen in the near future it looked and smelt guuuuuurd

Great atmospheric place down by the banks of the Irwell. Fantastic food, cooked by one of Manchester’s most revered chefs. The food is of an arty, hearty nature and cooked to perfection. It’s also a place to just drink too, and on busy days/​evenings, the wait at the bar can take a while. Lovely place to eat on a sunny spring/​summer day. Recommended :)

If you ever come to Manchester to see the legendary Old Trafford, stop by this interesting riverside pub.
You have to walk down stairs to get to the restaurant. It is very dark inside and you really do feel like you’re inside a secret location.
My friend ordered the fish dish (Fillets of Plaice with Brown Shrimps & Mussels £13.20) and I ordered a chicken dish from the Chef’s Special Menu that day. It had a bed of mashed potatoes with roasted chicken + veggies. It was very well displayed and delicious. My friend also enjoyed her fish (they fried the fish bone skeleton and seasoned it which was very good; plus very healthy!).
The local we knew there talked about the steak and potato pie you don’t really see anymore (steak pie or potato pie yes, but together no) so I was very excited to try that. Beef AND Potatoes in a flaky crust?! But alas, the waitress told us they JUST changed the menu. Boo.
The restaurant wasn’t very packed, but had a nice ambience and friendly staff. We could see the kitchen from our table and saw the chefs hard at work, so that was nice to see.
If I ever get a chance to come again, I would love to try dessert or a soft quail egg. :)

Wow. I really thought I knew what a good Fish and Chip plate was supposed to look and taste like and The Mark Addy turned my Fish N’ Chip world upside down!
Besides the establishment being nicely located aka waterfront on the Salford and Manchester border, the ambiance is very soft and appeasing to your senses as you walk your way down the stairs. The service is great and I’m really a fan of the old times Candle Sticks softly illuminating the surrounding bricks providing a very kicked back experience. If I was trying to make an impression on a first or third date this is indeed the place I would go. Before I get into the food I’ll say the pricing was surprisingly reasonable as the quality was a lot higher than the cost would dictate, which I rarely say if ever.
Now to the most important part, the Fish N’ Chips. Beginning with the presentation the Addy’s Fish N’ Chip plate had nothing but hand made goodness. The mushy peas and the chips are by far a distant first in the best I’ve tasted all over the UK! It was no wonder why my colleague thought this place provided the best Fish N’ Chips in all of Manchester. Before I can even get to the Fish I couldn’t stop snacking in the Chips. Just try imagining the best mash potatoes you’ve ever had and than being wrapped in a nice flavor exterior crunch where you can even tell that it’s been fried or at least that’s how it tasted. Ok now for the Fish. The Cod was nice and the beer batter they used wasn’t too sweet and not to bland as it was meant to be paired as part of a triangle of goodness as even the Tartar sauce was the best I’ve ever had. If you’re wondering if I’m being bias check the rest of my Fish N’ Chip reviews. I will not crown this dish the best I’ve ever had but it’s up there.
I can’t say enough about the overall experience at the Mark Addy and quality of the Fish N’ Chips. This is definitely a can’t miss restaurant when in Manchester.

Well, would you look at that — I did make a repeat visit. It was during a spring/​summer that had been so bakingly hot and more like the British summer we see on Boots and Bulmers adverts than that which we’re used to experiencing that I’d been seeking alfresco entertainment for myself, and thus I was drawn back to this riverside retreat for fine foods and lovely wine. And why was I prompted to write an update? It had been a long while since I visited, and the waitress simply blew me away. Not literally, mind, I’d have ended up in the canal.
Just on the edge of Spinningfields and right near Salford Central is this superb restaurant and pub, but while the indoors might feel a little social-​clubby the weather is the perfect excuse to vacate the swirly carpet and slightly dated décor and breath in the fresh river air. Well, as fresh as north westerly rivers can be. I grabbed a table with my friend and were attended to by a waitress instantly, and for a Saturday in nigh on central Manchester this was pretty good going. Remember that last time I was there during quiet hours, I might not have mentioned it. Anyway, the waitress we received was funny, brash, chatty and very playful. She even drew an artist’s impression of the signature pork dish on her notepad to explain to my friend, and when she opted for a chicken and stuffing sandwich instead, the waitress said, ‘What, after I drew what looks like a penis on my lovely notepad?!?‘
When I couldn’t find chardonnay by the glass she suggested the cheapest white, which she described as quite buttery and creamy like a chardonnay. I trusted her, and I’m so glad I did. That was a house wine worth shouting about. Eventually food-​wise we ordered bass — my friend was worried that she’d be jealous of my fish (I went for something light due to the heavy weather) and opted for the same, and when it arrived, despite small portions it was exactly the right amount of food, melt in the mouth and served up on celeriac. We also got a bowl of chips to share.
Now, these chips. I’ve raved about good chips. I lust after excellent chips. The Angel Vaults in Carmarthen and a pub in London stole my heart with its delicious ones but these… imagine the tastiest mashed potato you’ve ever had the good fortune to eat, encased in the crispest, lightest batter. That’s these. And they were so filling we desperately tried to eat the last four but couldn’t.
I wish I could remember the waitress’s name, she was fab. And as for the food, it was exactly what we needed, and she came good on the wine. Awesome. Might be a bit of a pricey treat but it’s worth it.

Excellent meal and really interesting menu and chef. The staff very friendly and attentive. Possibly the best meal we have had out in Manchester for a long time. Menu uses fresh, local and in season ingredients. Adventurous, in terms of using quite a bit of Offal and Game, but plently on the menu for the less adventurous! Definitely recommended.

Not been in this place for many years, but after seeing it mentioned on a TV programme recently we decided to give it a try, the main reason being that on the TV they said they were bringing back the love of traditional English dishes such as Tripe! Now as a kid I was force fed Trip and hated it, and never dared try it since, so was up for the challenge. The three of us arrived at around 1pm the bar was quiet but not empty which was great, we were greeted by a friendly barman, who showed us to a table over looking the river. We ordered drinks and read the menu. I had the Italian Red wine (£4.80 glass) which was fantastic and my friend had a bitter (£2) from a massive choice as they had just had a weekend beer festival. We decide to try the Tripe in Madera sauce, and Ducks liver in Madera (served with an egg on top) to share between the three of us, it was outstanding I would order both again we all really enjoyed the starter. Starters were £5-£6 each. For mains we ordered Fish and Chips x 2 and 1 Toad in the hole, I wanted the wood pigeon but due to a tooth problem decided I better save that for next time, these meals were also outstanding, we all gave it 10/​10, the chunky chips, battered fish, mushy peas and tartar sauce were perfect, the Toad in the hole with 2 sausages was also excellent (mains were £8-£9 each) but this came with nothing else so had to order a side portion of chips at £3, we would have loved dessert but simply had no room. The service, staff were all very friendly and efficient (the meals came to a total of £53.50 not inc service) The down side as others have said is the entrance, toilets and outside areas, the bar is very dark, and could be said it is dismal, the cleanliness of the areas is poor but clearly the dated entrance, carpet, rails, windows, lets the whole place down, the location on the side of the river is great and with some imagination with flower boxes, and some refurbishment it would make such a difference, they must lose a lot of customers due to the entrance, we did think twice before entering. All in all I would defiantly return, I felt the service, food and drinks were all so good it was worth risking the stairs, but not sure I would take anyone for a special meal due to the entrance. Well done Mark Addy. Update May 2012 Come on Mark Addy match the service to the food which is first class. You may have seem my previous good reviews I have written on visits to the Mark Addy and I still maintain the food is excellent and on my last visit on Saturday 26^th May 2012 this has not changed, but sadly it will be my last visit.
The chef and his excellent kitchen team producing the food is being (in my opinion) very badly short changed by the front of house staff, management and premises. Booking in advance for a birthday meal was fine and efficient but on arrival the entrance has still not been cleaned in any way, with the appearance of shabby uncared for premises apparent as you walk down the stairs, greeting you is a broken/​missing glass section on the stairs and the vacuum cleaner!!! (maybe customers could do the cleaning on the way out)
The carpet sticks to your feet it is so dirty, as you enter the bar it is clearly not managed well, a booth/​table scattered with a lap top and paperwork, and a general poor appearance with an air of mismanagement.
You stand and wait as staff pass by in the busy bar and restaurant until eventually you are spoken to and able to explain you have booked a table. We are shown to our table by the window and kitchen.
The table is sticky and needs a good clean, the cutlery cleanliness is below what you would expect unless you were in a school canteen and certainly had not been polished. The staff were ALL very friendly but so disorganised and in need of a good restaurant manager with a system/​routine. The menus arrived and we were left with them to enjoy the tempting dishes on offer, another waitress asked if we would like drinks, then to first waitress returned to see if we wanted drinks, we said we had ordered, you know how it goes, we also asked for a jug of water, we were then told the beer we asked for had run out so offered another beer. The wine we ordered was not very pleasant so had to be changed. I will not go into all the comings and goings but there were sadly too many. We waited some 45min for our orders to be taken, but we had questions about some of the items on the menu, some of which could not be answered, then we attempted to order, only to find the starters we wanted were not available, so we chose again, then the mains we asked for were not available, I have no problem with a kitchen running out of items but expect to be informed when given the menu, not when I have chosen then I am put on the spot to quickly choose another items. The chaotic service continued throughout, we had to keep asking for the jug of water when it eventually arrived it was with dirty glasses, we just cleaned them ourselves on the napkins, we had to

Not been in this place for many years, but after seeing it mentioned on a TV programme recently we decided to give it a try, the main reason being that on the TV they said they were bringing back the love of traditional English dishes such as Tripe! Now as a kid I was force fed Trip and hated it, and never dared try it since, so was up for the challenge.
The three of us arrived at around 1pm the bar was quiet but not empty which was great, we were greeted by a friendly barman, who showed us to a table over looking the river. We ordered drinks and read the menu. I had the Italian Red wine (£4.80 glass) which was fantastic and my friend had a bitter (£2) from a massive choice as they had just had a weekend beer festival.
We decide to try the Tripe in Madera sauce, and Ducks liver in Madera (served with an egg on top) to share between the three of us, it was outstanding I would order both again we all really enjoyed the starter. Starters were £5-£6 each.
For mains we ordered Fish and Chips x 2 and 1 Toad in the hole, I wanted the wood pigeon but due to a tooth problem decided I better save that for next time, these meals were also outstanding, we all gave it 10/​10, the chunky chips, battered fish, mushy peas and tartar sauce were perfect, the Toad in the hole with 2 sausages was also excellent (mains were £8-£9 each) but this came with nothing else so had to order a side portion of chips at £3, we would have loved dessert but simply had no room.
The service, staff were all very friendly and efficient (the meals came to a total of £53.50 not inc service)
The down side as others have said is the entrance, toilets and outside areas, the bar is very dark, and could be said it is dismal, the cleanliness of the areas is poor but clearly the dated entrance, carpet, rails, windows, lets the whole place down, the location on the side of the river is great and with some imagination with flower boxes, and some refurbishment it would make such a difference, they must lose a lot of customers due to the entrance, we did think twice before entering.
All in all I would defiantly return, I felt the service, food and drinks were all so good it was worth risking the stairs, but not sure I would take anyone for a special meal due to the entrance. Well done Mark Addy.
Return May 2012
Food still first class and well worth trying, but sadly the place is dirty, service a shambles clearly need a good restaurant manager to match the great food.

I’d been itching to visit this place for some time since ROB took over the kitchen (whilst I’d never been that impressed by his cooking at The Angel, the Mark Addy reviews + menu looked pretty enticing).
Having been here in a previous incarnation, I was expecting the unpleasantly musty smell on the steps down. So no mind.
A group of 8 of us were in a mostly empty place on a Monday night. After being served some decent ales (they had a nice short choice available, and seemed well taken care of), we ordered starters and mains.
Eschewing the offal specials (I’m not against the idea, but the time wasn’t right) I started with the goat’s cheese with beetroot. Nicely tasty & rustic, obviously well-​executed. Things stepped up a notch with my pork fillet main: came with succulent mushrooms, and a sherry cream that wasn’t too heavy or too rich.
So, why the bad score? Simple: a companion ordered the toad in the hole (cue some confused sounds from the Americans on our table, until we explained), and it was delivered burnt. Almost black in places.
Now, I can live with a mistake in the kitchen — they happen. We would have been fine with an apology and a replacement main.
A kitchen and FOH that don’t care enough about their standard of food to happily send out burnt food is IMO inexcusable.

This is one of my favourite place’s at the moment very relaxing and perfect for a sunday meal.
You can see it all happening bit by bit the food is stunning, friendly staff and nice atmosphere, although the music was n, t on i comment on that so they had it on on the last visit.
Really Weldon to all the staff and keep it up

newly refurbished, however the entrance as grim as ever. if your disabled, lazy or got kiddies, youll have to jump in river and climb up the bank or its many stairs down, apologies mark addy if i missed another entrance, staff v v v pleasant, and tolerant of our mad toddler destroying the place, even gave her bread to feed ducks, a nice touch. didnt eat but punters looked happy, a mellow bar, not very exiting but a good middle class retreat from the madness of town up the road,
ive been going for ten years and never had cause for complaint,
nice one guys

Tell me about any bar that you have to cross a bridge then descend into a riverside basement to access (in effect, acting like a spy on a mission) and you’ve got my attention. The great thing about Mark Addy is that things stay disctinctly up-​hill once you arrive.
Named after the famous oarsman and publican who was awarded the Albert Medal for the rescue of over 50 people from the then highly-​polluted River Irwell in the 19^th century this is obviously a bar/​restaurant well rooted in British tradition. Both the food and drink are exactly that– traditional, British, nonesense free, good stuff. The bar is also rather famous for its huge selection of cheeses and pâté– perfect pint partners as far as I’m concerned.
Dodge the lunch time rush and turn up late afternoon to make sure you get a riverside seat and you will find it one hard place to leave.

This place needs a clean up and a refurb. Nice location. Food mediocre. Cheese counter sparse compared to Dukes 92. Service about as much use as a handbrake on a canoe.
Won’t be going back until it’s been fumigated and blessed by a priest.

A good summer pub, however it is going to have a fight on it’s hands with the new spinningfields set up across the river. Pretty standard pub in itself however the real draw is the cheese and pâté lunch which is reasonable, served with chunks of fresh bread and pickles and gherkins. Tasty and a bit differnet for lunch.

The Mark Addy is situated by the canal and near the Ralli Quays offices.
It’s a curious entrance as there’s a small doorway, the toilets and then a fair few stairs as you descend into the actual pub itself.
The Mark Addy is well known for it’s Pâté /​cheese lunches where you pick several pates or cheeses and a type of bread or if this isn’t to your taste they do have a full menu of proper pub grub with a flair.
The seating is comfy and boasts ‘booths’ as well as more open tables and chairs. the bar has a goo d selection of beverages and the staff are always pleasant.
In the warmer months it’s always nice to sit outside where there is plenty of tables and chairs by the water.

The Mark Addy pub is situated just a little bit out of the way. Not miles out of the way, mind but enough to make you think twice. That said, it is a nice place to go in the summer. The outdoor seating is great on a hot day although it does, unsurprisingly, get a little cramped. The décor inside could do with updating; it’s traditional pub circa 1990s. The drinks are quite expensive, although there is often a decent offer on one or two beverages.