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Image posted by Ian Mapp
Submitted on Monday, 29^th July 2024
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Circus Tavern, Manchester

86 Portland Street
Manchester
M1 4GX

Correct details

Served areas

Manchester Central

Reviews of Circus Tavern (Average Rating: 7½ of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Ian Mapp left this review about Circus Tavern

Not sure I would attempt on a weekend or an evening, but something rather special about a Thursday afternoon of illicit drinking. Goodle suggest it opens at 2pm but found it all bolted. Went next door and heard the barlady saying they were "keeping off hours". It was open at 3pm.

Already full :-)

A young barman dealt with the drinks (Tetley or Wainwright) on cask, whilst the landlord did a fine job of shoehorning as many people as possible into the two tiny rooms.

Thankfully table service from there on - as once wedged in, you need to be brave to wedge yourself out.

The Tetley was in fine condition and everyone seemed really pleased with themselves for getting a seat. Led to a very jovial atmosphere.

Quinno sums it up nicely in his last line!

On 29^th July 2024 - rating: 8
[User has posted 1563 recommendations about 1543 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Quinno _ left this review about Circus Tavern

Blink and you miss it place; very narrow, squeezed back from the road in a terrace and listed in the CAMRA National Inventory. There’s a corridor to enter with a teeny servery at the end which appears to be part of the understairs cupboard. Two little rooms off to the right of the corridor, both with fires and traditionally furnished in a basic manner with bench seating and old bell pushes. Two cask, Wainwright and Tetley Bitter. My Tetley was in fair nick for what is now a shite brew (NBSS 3). I liked it here, despite its obvious limitations…time your visit for a quiet period else you’ll easily end-up standing in the corridor. Perhaps file under ‘do it to say you’ve done it’.

On 20^th February 2023 - rating: 7
[User has posted 5552 recommendations about 5533 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Strongers . left this review about Circus Tavern

One of the great things about doing no research before I go on a crawl is that I’m sometimes genuinely surprised by what I find, and my visit to the Circus Tavern was one of those times. I walked up the front steps to be met by a friendly lady who was standing beside a bar that had been set up in the cupboard under the stairs. Tetley’s and Wainwright were the two cask options and there were a couple of keg fonts.
Along the right wall are two small seating areas, I was directed to sit in the one nearest the entrance. In here three gentleman were quietly supping on their pints whilst the large TV on the wall was playing All Saints, “I Know Where It’s At”. I actually laughed out loud as I sat to wait for my pint opposite the coal effect gas fire.
Yes, this is a historic pub and a must visit, even if only to drink in a tiny pub (my rating reflects this), but now that I’ve done it I don’t plan to return.

On 15^th February 2022 - rating: 7
[User has posted 5965 recommendations about 5931 pubs]

View more reviews of Circus Tavern (18)

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