Sandbar

Grosvenor St.
This bar is superb. It has a great range of beers and a genuinely interesting interior. There are local cask ales, real ciders and a wide selection of european beers available on draft and in bottles. The place occupies a couple of old houses - the old exposed staircase is even used as extra space to store bottles. There is a rather ramshackle arrangement of different rooms, with each one having a different character. The front bar is light (due to huge the windows) and very lively. The back bar is quieter and a bit more civilised. The enclosed 'yard' area is fairly dark, and it has a stone floor and a huge bench for seating. There is a new smoking area/beer garden next to the main bar. Outdoor seating is aslo a feature, with a decent amount at the front and some round the back near the yard entrance. Sitting outside Sandbar on a summer's evening is a very pleasant experience. The toilets are unusual and worth noting. To get out you have to open a door plastered in posters, which is not an easy feat when faced with it for the first time or when drunk.

As with most great bars, Sandbar gets very busy at the weekend. It's big enough to accommodate a large number of drinkers, so there is usually somewhere to sit or stand. The punters here seem to be a pretty decent bunch, with a similar mix to that found in places like the Bar in Chorlton. Sandbar is easily one of the best places to drink in Manchester, and it is currently vying with Fringe to be the best bar in Manchester.