Bluu

I’ve been to Bluu loads of times in the past. It’s always been one of the best places to start off your NQ night out.
It’s large, has plenty of tables and seating to accommodate large groups and gets pretty rowdy of an evening.
The bar is well stocked and the service is friendly.

Saturday morning around 11:45 — the place was empty. That is a surprise because all the hip cafes around were packed with waiting lines.
Then the friendly waiter looked at his watch and did not want to take orders for breakfast any more (only until 12). He was quickly willing to adapt and we had coffee with a veggie breakfast.
Quickly noted:
— huge place
— expensive (15L per person) for very little food
— nice service
— enjoyed the avocado mix
— extra milk for coffee was cold

Bluu bar is a lovely spot to grab a bit to eat whilst still enjoying drinks in a bar environment. The downstairs area allows you to enjoy a quieter meal as well if needs be. The bbq chicken and smokey pit beans were fantastic!

Would have to agree with the 3.5 average rating for this place, its definately nothing spectacular! I find myself struggling to think of anything memorable to comment on! On plus side u can normally manage to turn up on a whim and get a table for food for small groups and the burgers are pretty nice for the price!

When I was a single girl and living my best pal, we’d head to Bluu most weekends to basically have some girlie fun, drink copious amounts of wine and cocktails and flirt with a few guys.
We had some amazing times and weekends and months past in a drunken fuelled haze in one of the first bars to put the NQ on the scene in Manchester.
Fast forward a few years and I headed back to Bluu with the same friend.
Only difference was we were now a teeny bit older and off the market!
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised with what I found.
It had undergone a refurbishment and felt fresh and funky and was certainly giving some of the newer bars in town a run for their money.
The bar service was good, drinks average price and there was a real buzz about the place. I didn’t sample the food, but it looked great and reasonably priced.
I enjoyed people watching and there was certainly a lot of drunken flirting going in around the place :)
Glad to see it still doing well and providing a fun place for city dwellers and visitors alike.
I will be back.

Stopped by for lunch– it’s a big bar with loads of seating and big tables with sofas should you wish to lounge around. Just had a small plate of maple glazed baby back ribs and mac ‘n’ cheese washed down with a glass of cider, both were decent– didn’t really have any of the proper mains like the burgers. The menu is very American style with wings, pulled pork buns, cheese fries, chicken & ribs etc.
With it being the daytime on a Wednesday in the NQ it was pretty dead but that’s to be expected. Will have to go back when its busier to be able to comment more!

I love Bluu. Whenever I’m in Manchester visiting family I always make sure to head here. Great food, great service and great location.

Hmmm.
I really want to like Bluu but I have to be honest, it’s nowt special.
After being closed for a refurb, Stacey W and I went along to their re-​opening night, lured by the promise of free food and drinks.
The first thing I noticed was that not much had changed. It looked pretty much the same as before. Money well spent then…
We were given two very nice looking elderflower cocktails but we both agreed they tasted like a combination of soap and toothpaste. Really glad they were on the house.
Next up — popcorn with bacon: greasy as hell and nothing to wipe our hands on.
The food brought to our table that followed was much the same: greasy pork ribs, greasy chicken wings, greasy mini pulled pork burgers…
I passed on all of it as I couldn’t be bothered with trips to the WC to keep washing my hands. Needless to say, the free drinks went straight to my head and I’m suffering quite a bit today. I should have at least lined my stomach with one of Bluu’s greasy offerings.
I’m not keen on the look and feel of the bar upstairs so probably wouldn’t drink there again but found another one downstairs which was much more to my liking; dark, cosy and playing much better music — everything from Howlin’ Wolf to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Having been a regular at Bluu over the years I have never attended a private function in a reserved area. We arrived to a lovely area out of the way of the main bar with lots of different seating and quirky décor touches. All was going swimmingly until we ordered a bottle of Malbec.. This was presented to us in an oversized milk urn that could have fit about 3 bottles in it.
Not a suitable decanter for such a lovely wine it was very hard to pour the wine out of and a metal jug is not befitting to such a wine… We had no choice in this. It was either have the jug or no wine. We didn’t get wine glasses either but glass beakers.. We didn’t try the cocktails but later on got a bottle of prosecco. With plastic champagne flutes. These strange and bizarre quirks did not endear me to return to spend on nice wines but rather stick to the gin and tonics which were excellent!
Saying that this did not spoil our evening with fantastic company and epic tunes!

Good drinks but awful service and questionable nachos.
We were waiting for some friends to arrive but starving so hoped to order a quick snack in Bluu on Sunday. We easily got a seat on one of the large couches in the window, this needs replacing we nearly fell through the very worn out seat. We decided on drinks and nachos then went to the bar to order. You couldn’t order at the bar (???) so we were sent back to sit down and told someone would soon be with us. We waited. And waited. Not good.
Then someone came to take our drinks order. Finally! We also ordered the food. Then we waited. Starting to see a pattern here? The place was not very busy but the drinks and the food took ages. The drinks were good, a milkshake and a mocktail. Both delicious but no reason they should have taken so long…
The nachos were not good. Burnt slightly on the edge and the salsa and guacamole were chemically nightmares. Is it so hard to smash a few avocados? Cut up some tomatoes? Evidently it is.
I’d go back for drinks if they had more staff on but the food has not inspired me. Plus they need new couches so maybe avoid those!

Came here for a few drinks last month and as far as bars go, I can’t complain. Nice décor, room to dance and lots of seating for when you need a break — good for those in heels !! Very large bar so even when busy on a Saturday night, it doesn’t take long to get served. Prices are average for NQ, they have a good selection of wine, beers, spirits and cocktails. There is a quieter area downstairs with large sofas for groups. There is also another bar downstairs, although I can’t remember ever seeing it open (maybe because I was blind drunk.!)
The crowd was your usual, no trouble makers and a nice vibe. They play a variety of music, I have vague recollections of dancing to modern day stuff you hear on the radio, 80s tunes, some bob Marley and even N*E*R*D! Good for groups in the evening and would be nice for a more intimate dinner or drink for friends or couples during the afternoon/​evening.

Never again! didn’t like the bar at all and couldn’t believe we stayed! but one of the party wanted to stay.
The service was cold and had to ask for service, the bar men were stood around talking and not interested in the customers at all.
Finally ordered 3 beers which came to a staggering £14, and in plastic glasses!!! so i spent £14 to have my beer served in plastic glasses!!! outrageous!
The atmosphere was dead and won’t be returning!

Bluu is one of those bars which you use more as a landmark than a bar — ‘Hey meet me in front of Bluu bar and then we can head to a cool bar in Northern Quarter’ (yeah that is pretty much what I use Bluu for).
However, when I actually went inside for a drink there it wasn’t too bad… well I mean it was just another bar! I have seen many hipsters sunbathing in their outdoor seating areas in one of those rare sunny days in Manchester and to be fair that is the only time I get tempted to go inside. The couches were comfortable and the lighting was nice but the music… err… was there any? Yeah it was background to a whole new level where I don’t even remember what they were playing (not a single song? :/​).
Ok, Shrim enough of criticizing… Fine, fine I shall get to the positives!
The bar definitely is very spacious and I have been told they do a pretty neat burger besides having an impressive collection of beers. I have seen fellow Unilocaler Nathan S mention about mood lighting and comfortable couches and I am definitely going to vouch for that, but not entirely sure about the sophistication bit (NQ is supposed to be Hipster right?). The pricing strategy (yeah taking my marketing job a bit too seriously: p) is very good because the beers are cheap whereas the cocktails are expensive so you know what to have on pay day and what to have mid-​month! If you are bored waiting for someone for too long, then you can always start chatting with the staff (yeah, they are pretty friendly).
Verdict: Average, Northern Quarter bar — but definitely worth a visit!

Not bad for a drink but it not a very clean bar. All the light fixtures have women’s lipstick on them and the tables are not cleared promptly after people leave.
It is a large bar with room for big parties or larger groups.
The drink selection is good and it is a nice place for a drink wit friends or a date.

I’ve been to Bluu just about every time I’ve been to Manchester. What I like about Bluu is that it is always consistent. The drinks are strong and delicious, and as an added bonus last time I was there they were 2 for 1. Can’t beat that.
Their prices are reasonable, staff is friendly, and the atmosphere is always positive.
The one complaint I do have… the stairs to the toilets can be a bit dark, and I’ve almost fallen a few times!

One of my favourite places in the northern quarter.
Laid back with a good atmosphere and a good range of drinks.
Staff could be a bit friendlier.

Fancy Sofas
Mood Lighting
Fantastic Drinks
Sophistication all round?
Come along to Bluu. It is one of the best bars in the Northern Quarter in my opinion, largely because it doesn’t attempt to be anything particularly unusual. Bluu is not a dive bar, not a grunge bar — it is effortlessly stylish and sleek, and is very popular as a result.
The bar is superbly decorated and is a lovely place to sit and relax with a drink or two. It is quite often the latter when I am in Bluu, primarily because they have one of the best stocked bars in Manchester, and sell my favourite Aussie Rum, which I am more than happy to indulge in once in a while.
Not only does the bar serve an excellent range of drinks, it also has an extensive menu, which ranges from classic sandwiches to full cooked meals, all of which are served in a restaurant area towards the rear of the bar. The restaurant can get very busy at peak times, but is worth visiting, because the food is really excellent.
I would definitely recommend a visit to Bluu — be prepared to fight the crowds though, especially at the weekend, as it can get very popular with people getting relegated to the slightly nastier seating downstairs.

Bluu is one of those bars that’s in the wrong location.
If it was on Deansgate it would be rammed to the rafters day and night. As it’s in the Northern Quarter however, it’s usually dead in the daytime, quiet to reasonably busy early week evenings and rammed to the rafters Friday and Saturday nights with townies dressed up in their smartest jeans, shirts and party dresses. As you can probably tell from my tone, I wouldn’t dream of going there myself at night — despite loving the cocktails, the warm leather sofas and the intimate basement area.
I do however, meet friends for late lunch there every now and then. The quiet atmosphere means we can usually spend an hour or two catching up, sipping good drinks and laughing undisturbed. Until recently, Bluu also did killer fish finger sandwiches with tasty tartare sauce and great fat chips. Alas, when I went back last week, I was aghast to find the home-​made fish fingers had been replaced by ones that tasted like sawdust and the fat chips with thin, greasy fries. Luckily, the company was as great as ever!

I’ve been holding out on writing a review about this place because everyone seems to rave about it and I don’t really think it’s all that. However I looked it up on here tonight to see two other three star reviews… apparently I’m not alone in thinking this bar is a bit mediocre.
The drinks are good… but kind of brought back down to earth by the prices. Very pricey. It is the Northern Quarter though so you kind of have to let it slide. It’s a good place to come to with a group of people and although it is usually busy, the staff seem to cope really well so there’s never too much of a wait to be served.
The food is a bit pretentious but it’s actually done really well depending on when you go, if its quiet you’ll be fine and you’ll get a fantastic meal. If it’s busy you tend to see the quality suffer as the menu is quite ambitious so you might want to stay away from ordering the more complicated things.
The food is expensive too but it’s never bothered me too much because I’ve always enjoyed it. Fish and Chips for £9.50 though will upset some people!!! As will Pie and Mash for £10!!!
The Little Britain Tapas Menu is quite good fun though and great if you’re just in a group and want some nibbles with your drinks.

As we were leaving a friend’s house, her boyfriend got off his mobile phone and complained ‘They are in Bluu, I’m not going there.’ We did go and it wasn’t too bad at all. Bluu has more ‘premium brasseries’ in London and a few other cities but still feels like an independent bar.
Classy and stylish, there is a slight air of pretension about some of the crowd here but there was a varied dress code (e.g. cap, t-​shirt and statement trainers allowed) and everyone just seemed to be having a good time. That said, Bluu’s customers were I thought some of the best dressed I have seen in Manchester give or take the odd sparkly mini dress or two. A lot of looking around, looking up and down was inevitably going on.
Of course, the drinks were a little pricier too: £7 something for a vodka, lemonade and lime plus a small white wine spritzer. Not a lot of actual alcohol for your buck and we didn’t stay long.
A good first stop when you are sober enough to appreciate fairly tasteful surroundings and before you go on to somewhere a bit more vibrant, a bit less bluu.