7 Quirky Places to Eat, Drink & Play in Manchester

Looking for quirky and unusual bars and restaurants in Manchester? If you like a liberal helping of burgers, cocktails, good music and fun things, this one’s for you!

Manchester is one of the UK’s most popular cities for a reason, and I’ve spent enough weekends here now to know that there’s a fantastic food and bar scene to get into. One of the best cities in the UK for nightlife, whatever you’re interested in getting up to on a night out, you’ll find it in the largest metropolitan city in the North of England.

Check out some of my favourite quirky places we discovered for food, drink and fun activities in Manchester…

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Crazy Pedro’s

Pizza? Okay, FINE. Tequila cocktails? Alright then. Crazy Pedro’s does both of these, and it does them pretty damn well.

There are two Crazy Pedros pizza restaurants in Manchester, one in the Northern Quarter and one just off Deansgate. We were in the latter – a small, colourful spot where we managed to find a free table. We sipped on Hellfire Club cocktails, made up of a generous serving of tequila and some fiery ginger beer.

Crazy Pedros’ pizzas are an impressive 16 inches (also available by the slice), so we only ordered one between two – of course, ‘half-and-half-ing’ to make the most of the menu. The Gringo was the winner, topped with pulled pork, jalapenos, sweetcorn, sour cream and mezcal-infused salsa – and the best bit, crispy tortilla chips. No joke, this made me just want to crumble Doritos onto every pizza ever. But the Wacko Jacko was also highly enjoyable, with plenty of pepperoni and jerk chicken.

Crazy Pedro’s Manchester
55-57 Bridge St, M3 3BQ / Short St, M1 1JG
crazypedros.co.uk

Almost Famous

Probably the most obscene burgers you’ll ever put in your face, Almost Famous is a Northern institution – and for good reason.  Almost Famous have two sites in Manchester, and we visited the Great Northern branch. A huge room with a giant King Kong statue, the vibrant venue oozes personality.

Messy, juicy and thoroughly delicious, you probably won’t need to eat until the afternoon the next day after a visit to Almost Famous. The Totally Unreal section of the menu is home to the very best, towering stacked burgers with inventive toppings. If you really need some sides, you can add fries, tater tots or wings. And for vegans and veggies, the classic Famous burger is given a twist with vegan patty and cheese.

Almost Famous Manchester Great Northern
UNIT 2, GREAT NORTHERN, Peter St, Manchester M3 4EN
almostfamousburgers.com

NQ64

The perfect place to relive your childhood, NQ64 is packed with classic arcade games, from Street Fighter and Pac Man to House of the Dead and Time Crisis. I may have also shouted at Crazy Taxi very loudly for a while. The bar sells arcade game themed cocktails, and you can buy tokens to game away to your heart’s content.

NQ64 – Manchester Northern Quarter
9 Short St, Manchester M4 1AA
nq64.co.uk

7 Sins

Another fun hangout spot in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, 7 Sins is a colourful, vibrant bar with edgy urban carnival vibes. Enjoy gloriously delicious messy food and delicious themed cocktails while you play a game of shuffleboard or pool.

7 Sins – Northern Quarter
43-45 Lever St, Manchester M1 1FN
7sins.co.uk/

Bunny Jacksons

All-American dive bar dreams come to life at Bunny Jacksons, where you can soak up the sports pub ambience while you gorge yourself on wings that start at just 20p each. If you’re a whisky drinker, expect plenty of the USA’s finest exports, along with hard seltzers, frozen margaritas and American beers. Bunny’s also has a little cousin, Junior Jacksons, which offers the same vibes with even more of a riotous party atmosphere.

Bunny Jacksons
1 Jack Rosenthal St, Manchester M15 4RA
bunnyjacksons.co.uk/

The Lawn Club

You wouldn’t expect to find one of Manchester’s coolest bars at the centre of it’s financial district, but Lawn Club in Spinningfields is one to check out. Book a range of fun seating options from lawn chairs to private pods, the menu offers up tasty bites that pair perfectly with their stylish cocktails.

The Lawn Club – Spinningfields
Hardman Square, Spinningfields, Manchester M3 3HG
thelawnclub.co.uk/

Roxy Ball Room

Much more than just a bar, this is the kinda place you could find yourself hanging out for hours on end. There’s pool, ping pong and a photobooth, as well as retro arcade games and a heavily rock/indie soundtrack. The whole space is upstairs, with just a small door sandwiched between a Slug and Lettuce and a Wetherspoons.

On the top floor, you’ll also find a fabulous 18 hole golf course with fun tropical theming and even some glow-in-the dark fun. I won, obviously.

Roxy Ball Room Manchester
76-78 Deansgate, M3 2FN
roxyballroom.co.uk/manchester