Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 15th June 2025) with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
Micro Bar, Manchester
Manchester
M4 2HU
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Blue Scrumpy left this review about Micro Bar
After finding 5 successive pubs and bars that I wanted to visit in Manchester all closed, I decided that the only people about were shoppers and though the Micro Bar even with its limited opening hours, may well be open.
Lo and behold it was indeed open and doing a very brisk trade. It is situated on the edge of a busy market with numerous food outlets scattered around it. However, whilst I'd been here before over 8 years ago, I don't recall the little gates creating an enclosed area for drinkers. I assume these are either new since my last visit or I was a little worse for wears when I was here last.
For the first time visitor, it's not the easiest to locate. The best way to find it is to walk alongside the Arndale Centre along High Street and you will see it, as it overlooks the road.
At the bar, there are 3 handpulls. Yesterday, these were clipped with Acorn Guiding Star, Dark Star Hophead & Blackjack Jack In A Box. Bag-in-the-box ciders can be found in a fridge to the side of the bar. These were Gwynt y Ddraig Dog Dancer & Abrahall's Thundering Molly. To the rear of the bar, are a number of draft pumps. Options included Brew York Juice Forsyth & Runaway NZ Pale. Boards dotted around also promote a large range of bottled beers which can be found in fridges or on shelves.
My Guiding Star was quite enjoyable, made more so by the lengthy walk I'd had around Manchester trying to find somewhere decent that was open. It was similar in style to a mild.
This little bar is well worth knowing about if crawling around Manchester.
On 27th December 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3111 recommendations about 3109 pubs]
Real Ale Ray left this review about Micro Bar
A decent and compact bar selling a good choice of bottled beers, keg and cask on handpump. Three handpumps on our visit, FTC Rum Porter, Acorn Blonde and Darkstar Hophead all of which were priced at £4.30 a pint, which for me is very good for a central Manchester outlet.
On 5th August 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3684 recommendations about 3684 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rob Hunter left this review about Micro Bar
Visited again a week or so and it's pretty much as it was at the time of my earlier review. On this occasion all four hand pulls were in active service and the two ales I sampled were enjoyable and in good condition. They also do warm pork crackling, which had to be tried and accompanied my drinks very nicely.
One of the ales I had was by "From The Cellar" brewery - I haven't been able to find out much about this brewery but it may well be a local outfit that the Micro Bar is supporting.
On 19th December 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 830 recommendations about 657 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rob Hunter left this review about Micro Bar
Visited yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon. Observed four hand pulls at the bar, two of which were on and two unclipped. The two available offerings were Elland GPA and Ilkley Mary Jane. I opted for the GPA which was a pleasant ale with a subtle ginger kick. Slipped down very nicely with the two samosas I had purchased from a nearby food stall. On that subject, Micro Bar now has its own area sectioned off as being for customers only, though you are welcome to bring food in if you are having a drink. My GPA was £3.50 a pint, or £1.75 for a half. There also seemed to be six keg taps and loads of bottles in the fridges and on the shelves.
Seating consists of a mix of tables and chairs, stools around the end section of the bar, and stools at a ledge in front of the window looking out onto High Street.
Nice for a quick stop off if you're in the area or shopping in the Arndale, though not sure it's the kind of place you would really stay for a session.
On 21st October 2021
- rating: 7
[User has posted 830 recommendations about 657 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about Micro Bar
seems like a decent place for a swift one if you’re in the Arndale, probably not worth seeking out otherwise. it’s absolutely tiny and just blends into the street food stalls surrounding it. Any atmosphere is obviously killed by the noise from the market. I bought a samosa (£1) from the Indian stall around the corner and washed it down nicely with a half of Plum Porter.
On 4th February 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1174 recommendations about 1136 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rob Hunter left this review about Micro Bar
Have visited a handful of times over the past few years, most recently this Sunday just gone. Obviously you are restricted to market opening hours which rules out an evening visit. There are a number of stools round the bar and a single table (made from a barrel) with two chairs. The rest of the seating available is shared with the rest of the market which in a way is good because you can bring your food here and get a drink to go with it, but the downside is you might not be able to get a seat because of people just eating their lunch.
At the bar I spotted 4 real ales plus 2 ciders, in addition to 5 keg taps on the back wall and fridges full of cans and bottles including soft drinks for non-drinkers. There are also shelves full of bottles and cans for purchase to take away. A lot of Belgian stuff featured plus cans from the likes of Cloudwater, Wander Beyond and Beavertown. You can't come here and say there is nothing to drink (unless you only like Fosters).
Available at the time of my visit were Karma Citra (see what they did there?) by Wily Fox, Nice Weather by Dancing Duck, Pale Rider by Kelham Island and the cider I had was Bee Sting by Lilley's, a lovely sweet 7.5% cider. I accepted the offer of ice in my pint of Bee Sting as I have previously found here that the real ales can be on the warmer side of average (presumably they have no actual cellar).
I noticed newspapers were available but most of the customers seemed content with sitting round the bar.
An unusual place and definitely an oasis in the madness of the Arndale Centre.
On 31st July 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 830 recommendations about 657 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Micro Bar
Compact market-stall bar and bottle shop under the cover of the Arndale Centre. Very limited seating with just a few tall chairs around the angled counter. Five handpumps, dispensing Phoenix Arizona, Dancing Duck DCUK, Old Forge Bitter from Half Moon and Bradford Winter Warming Stout (£3.00) plus Old Rosie cider. Fine for a quick one.
On 18th February 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8733 recommendations about 8733 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about Micro Bar
A good micro bar in the maze that it is the Arndale Centre. Though it is basically a market stall in amongst the 'street food' collection of stalls it does have 4 cask ales from 5 handpumps plus a selection of bottled beers to make it a welcome place amongst the hoards of materialistic shoppers. It'll do for me even though I doubt I'll ever be here again.
On 30th January 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about Micro Bar
Tiny bar in the Arndale Centre which opens 11 - 6 weekdays and 12 - 5 on Sundays. There's a mix of seating including a few table and some high stools. 5 handpumps including one for real cider. A couple of beers from Boggart, Wilson Potter Harcle Hill and one I can't remember. The Wilson Potter was in good nick. Loads of bottled beers for sale as well. It's an interesting place for one and if you want to eat you can buy food from the other market stalls and eat it here with a beer.
On 18th September 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3296 recommendations about 3206 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about Micro Bar
Our first visit to this bar that is in the Arndale Centre. We were there January for the Winter Ales fest, and this bar had extra beers on stillage. I found the beers on the bar in good condition, but the ones from stillage weren't top notch really. Plenty of breweries to try though, and we had them from Clarence & Fredericks, Luckie, Ayr, and Dunham Massey.
On 5th March 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]