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Bar Fringe, Manchester

Pub added by Andy Hemingway
8 Swan Street
Manchester
M4 5JN
Phone: 01618353815

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Al Bundy left this review about Bar Fringe

Excellent little pub. 6 handpumps with a good variety of guest ales. A long thin pub with a decent decor. A Honda motorcycle is above the main door with a cardboard cutout of Buffy, Spike, Angel from Buffy plus Sid Vicious (a bit dated but hey ho). Other cutouts are also dotted around. This is a really good friendly pub. I liked it.

On 12th November 2015 - rating: 9
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


david hammill left this review about Bar Fringe

what has happened to this once fine pub called in
last week to find the beer in poor form and very quiet

On 10th May 2014 - rating: 3
[User has posted 96 recommendations about 86 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve C left this review about Bar Fringe

Even though Bar Fringe had been recommended to me I still nearly walked past. The frontage is understated and I only took a second look when I saw the A board out the front that states that CAMRA had given it the North Manchester cider pub of the year award.
Inside there is a raised seating area by the front window and the bar on the left hand wall faces some bar stools that line a shelf on the right hand wall. There is more seating at the rear and out the back are a few picnic tables. The décor is very quirky and busy, but I managed to get very comfortable as it wasn’t very busy on Thursday afternoon a couple of weeks ago. At busier times I can see it being a bit of a squeeze in this small thin bar.
The bar supports five hand pumps and I had a decent pint of Phoenix Brewery’s White Monk. Food is available from midday until 16:00, but I didn’t see any menus as my visit was after this time.

This place is worth a look if in the area.

On 22nd August 2013 - rating: 7
[User has posted 5179 recommendations about 5148 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Simon Ward left this review about Bar Fringe

This bar is great, I found it by accident on my way to the Northern Quarter. Very eccentric decoration, which if you look at closely, is taking the mick out of it's self and the customers. A warm atmosphere with prompt friendly service even on a busy Friday night. They had nine traditional ciders available plus five cask ales plus loads of bottled beers and tap beers from Belgian and Germany. Not as expensive as the Port Street Beer House and with customers that are a bit more down to earth. The only problem was finding a seat inside. I agree with Rex, it doesn't look much from the outside, and they could use a heat lamp in the beer garden at this time of year, but it was buzzing inside and every drink we had was good quality.

On 3rd November 2012 - rating: 9
[User has posted 7 recommendations about 7 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Rex Rattus left this review about Bar Fringe

This place really doesn’t look much from the outside – in fact it doesn’t really look like a pub – but inside it’s a different story. I’m not sure how to describe it, but I think I can safely say that the interior decor is, bizarre, quirky and eccentric. There are plaster faces emerging from a wall at the back, a lifesize photograph of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, black rats and bats hanging from the ceiling and walls, a motorcycle suspended above the doorway, a rather nice picture of Jane Fonda as Barbarella, etc, etc. I reckon it’s worth a visit just for a butcher’s at the myriad strange things on display.
There were also five real ales available. I had the rather excellent Monkey Town Mild. A pub (or bar perhaps in this case) with eccentric decor and a decent ale selection must have something going for it, but I have to say that this place is nothing like a traditional pub.

On 24th September 2011 - rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve of N21 left this review about Bar Fringe

Really liked this bar. Probably helped by the fact that it was -2oC on this particular January Saturday evening, and after navigating to the current wasteland void of life that is Swan Street and thinking I’d been sold a dummy by the PuG Manchester contingent who recommended a visit here, I was very pleasantly surprised to find a welcoming interior completely full of people.
Quirky interior as well described by previous reviewers with several interesting decorative features especially the bike and the fruit bat hanging from the ceiling.
As mentioned, 5 ale hand pumps and several continental Lager fonts, complemented by 2 Ciders in polypins on the bar and a varied assortment of Belgium bottle beers.
Although the bar area was almost totally blocked by drinkers on arrival had no problem being spotted by the barman and served promptly. Top notch pint of Phoenix Double Gold and when the bar thinned out a bit got talking to the knowledgeable barman who let us try the two ciders before buying.
Good visit and will certainly be back when in Manchester again.

On 5th February 2011 - rating: 8
[User has posted 2094 recommendations about 1985 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


aleand hearty left this review about Bar Fringe

Almost certainly one of Manchester’s quirkier watering holes, that’s apparently based on a Belgian brown bar. The narrow interior has bare floorboards with a subdued custard yellow colour scheme. There’s lots of beer and music ephemera, plus several gargoyles and the ‘famous’ motorbike above the entrance.

At the business end of things, the bar features a decent range of continental beers, the usual T-bar suspects and five hand pumps. On offer during our visit were Allgates ‘Winter Meltdown’, Acorn ‘Winter Pale Ale’, Phoenix ‘Black Bee’, Marston Moor ‘Brewers Droop’ and Cottage ‘XK120’. Quality of the Acorn was very good. We certainly had no problems with bar staff during our visit, being served promptly by a friendly young barman. However, it was fairly quiet when we called early in the evening, mid-week. I can imagine though, with floor space being tight near the bar, getting a round in at busier times would be a challenge. But, on the basis of this visit, I rather liked the place and would almost certainly call again if in the area.

On 27th January 2011 - rating: 7
[User has posted 573 recommendations about 555 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Bar Fringe

Unlikely-looking prospect for decent pint of real ale as, from the street, you might expect some kind of wine or cocktail bar inside. However, on venturing within, you are immediately faced with a large 'green man' and a wide range of beer-related memorabilia (plus an odd mix of other stuff such as the motorcycle above the entrance). Good selection of interesting beers from the five handpumps, including a fine Waen Blackberry Stout (£2.60), three from other micro-breweries and Moorhouse's IPA. Several continental offerings on draught and plenty of bottled beers too. Well worth seeking out.

On 16th January 2011 - rating: 8
[User has posted 8066 recommendations about 8066 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Michael Boyes left this review about Bar Fringe

Excellent bar 10 minutes walk from Victoria Station. Five real ales, German weissen, Belgian beers and one cider on draught. Plus a very good selection Belgian, German and Czech bottle beers. The pub itself is long and narrow with a beer garden. A very popular pub so can get very busy. Food is available mainly at lunch times.

On 14th December 2010 - rating: 8
[User has posted 55 recommendations about 55 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Danny O'Revey left this review about Bar Fringe

A rather rough around the edges drinking den, there is a collection of gothic tat - gargoiles, vampires, motorbikes and various pictures and artefacts. Background rock music, though I wouldn't call it a rock pub.

The beer was good and the quality excellent, but it was rather unfriendly - when I did get someone to serve me it was reluctantly and with a you've-not-been here before manner. Extra marks for the beer though.

On 31st August 2010 - rating: 6
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]

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