Lammars

Whether you are getting started for crawl around the Northern Quarter or looking for a place to go to end the night, Lammars is the perfect choice. It’s very laid back and chilled enough to enjoy a few drinks and it also has that weekend party style.
The bar itself is great, with a huge selection of beers on tap to cater for all tastes. It has a great environment. As others have said, this place is a little far out and tucked away.

My date brought me here because he «thought I might like it.» He seems to have the measure of my predilection for the fine line between fancy and trashy pretty well. HM.
We didn’t stray from the bar because he had multiple sports-​related injuries but it was still pretty fun thanks to the friendly punters around us. From reading other reviews it seems like the overall vibe is quite sophisticated but late on a Saturday night it seemed a bit more Party Party and for that purpose I would definitely come back here to dance.

Whether you are just getting started for a crawl around the Norther Quarter or you’re looking for a high note to end the night on, Lammars offers the perfect fix. It’s laid back enough to enjoy a casual few drinks but also has that weekend party-​style vibe.
The drinks aren’t the cheapest but then that’s the case with a number of venues in the Northern Quarter. You do get what you pay for, however, and on that score, the venue delivers.
With an electric taste in music and some of the most stylish décor you will see in the area, the surroundings are pleasing to the eye. And the couches offer far more comfortable seating than you would find at your typical weekend haunt. Personally, I think that’s there big secret :)

I visited here recently for a leaving celebration. The staff were friendly and helpful, in matching beer-​sponsored uniforms. The food provided was enjoyable, and the drinks were nice too.
However, the décor… holy Elton John’s Wet Dream, Batman!
Now as a gay man, I quite like a bit of tacky now and then, usually when done as a tongue-​in-​cheek bit of fun, laughing at itself, but this place is tacky but I think genuinely thinks it’s glamorous! I don’t know if it counts as a gay venue or not, as it’s named after the late drag performer Foo Foo Lammar, but it seems that some straight folks have been given the brief, «decorate it like a gay bar» and then gone for what they think that might include.
Things such as at least 5 Buddha statues and heads all over the place, gigantic ugly mirrors fresh from The Range, and multi coloured tacky chandeliers, which all in all made it look a bit like Eddie’s boudoir from Absolutely Fabulous. I didn’t like it at all, it just felt cheap and nasty and looked like a 1970’s brothel.
Also the toilets left a fair bit to be desired. If you’re going to throw money at a place, get the basics right before shelling out on the mirror-​ball tiled baby grand piano (with a Buddha on it), this is even true within the toilets themselves; there was a vending machine in there with its own video screen, it didn’t sell condoms or anything but instead sold small bottles of hair styling gel and breath mints etc. This is all good and well, but the standard of the rest of the toilets was poor and should’ve been the main focus of the money before frivolities like the vending machine. This included taps which only have ice cold water, a single hand-​dryer which was very old and felt like an asthmatic tramp breathing over my hands rather than actually drying my hands in any way, and unpleasant looking cubicles which were also not recently cleaned, as there was toilet paper everywhere making it look like a New York ticker-​tape parade had recently passed through. Also whilst stood «drying» my hands under the wheeze-​o-​tron 500 hand-​dryer, a bar man came in with a bucket of beer foam and poured it into a urinal, leaving a big pile of foam and bottle caps in the urinal. Couple the smell of stale beer with the smell of a not-​recently-​cleaned gents toilet? Yeah, exactly!
Also the seats provided around the bar felt short, stumpy, and uncomfortable, and reminded us of the little seats you get in shoe shops when trying on some new shoes.
Overall, although on my visit I cant criticise the staff or food/​drinks, it seems that too much has been spent on how the place looks rather than its function and comfort. To me, that’s what should come first. Get the basics right, and make it comfortable and pleasant, THEN add all the stiletto shaped chairs and chrome body forms you want!

This seems like it could be a fun venue. It’s a bit off the main path and not as prominent because of that. I was a bit confused if dazzled by the décor. Nothing seemed to go together, including the venues own rooms. Maybe that was on purpose, and it did look «fun», just perhaps a bit discombobulated. I’d definitely go back to see the piano in action.

Why, Northern Quarter. Why do you keep creating these places that make me want to gut out my apartment and decorate it in a kitschy, retro kind of way. Oh, the décor in Lammars just bowls me over. Not only does it have a beautiful hardwood floor, bare brick walls (I’m a huge fan of bare brick walls, by the way) and plush comfy leather chairs, it has PADDLING POOLS.
Er, not actual inflatable paddling pools with water in them, far from it. No, the best way to describe them is… think of the shape of an ashtray, except instead of cigarette butts in the bottom you have cushions, and you sit round the edge, which is kind of like the arms of a sofa material-​wise. Do you understand? It’s sort of like a glorified bed anyway, because you find yourself slipping into the bottom of it if your posture’s feeling iffy (or if you’ve had a few too many Koppabergs).
We went to Lamarrs on its first Wednedsay comedy night which was a treat, as it was a social organised by Large magazine and included complimentary tapas and a glass of wine. Unfortunately I spent most of my time gabbing and catching up with old workmates, but when I did grab some leftover tapas it was okay. Buffet style with slightly rubbery garlic bread, but I’m certainly not using this as a benchmark and plan to have a proper meal there very soon.
The bar itself is great, with a huge selection of beers on tap to cater for all tastes. As for the comedy night, it was interesting. It got a lot funnier towards the end, and I can never tell with comedy nights whether that means the comedians got better or my head got fuzzier. Either way, we did have the misfortune of enduring one of those comperes that just has to pick on the audience. I was with my friend Jessica X whose diminutive stature and Bambi eyes make her far too cute to be bullied, so we were safe. However our male friends were not. Gah, it’s far too easy a way to get laughs. We should throw fruit at these entertainers.
What a great environment in which to have such an event though. As others have said, this place is a little far out and tucked away, but that makes it all the more special. It’s worth rooting round for, that much is certain!

I used to love Lammars, it was my favourite bar in town. I recently moved to this part of town (Lammars is the closest bar to my apartment) and thought that I’d become a regular here, but I recently went in and was disappointed at the change in the place.
I had to drink my pint from a plastic glass and pay about £3.80 for the privilege. Later on when it got a bit busier the place just filled up with scallies. I can’t believe that they now charge people to get in and people queue outside.

It is rare to go in this bar at the weekend and not have to fight your way through crowds, and don’t even bother trying to find a seat!
It does however have a very plush yet eclectic style of décor, easily the best looking bar in the northern quarter. The music is equally eclectic, even strange on occasion but then I like that anyway.
The staff are great however there are never enough. The drinks can be very expensive. It’s well worth a visit, however I would only recommend eating here during the week as it is just too popular for its own good at the weekend. Just make sure you take plenty of cash.

I’m not really a fan of Lammars. I’ve had a great time every time I’ve been here, there’s not a lot I can complain about but I don’t know, it just doesn’t compare with what’s on offer around the Northern Quarter.
That’s because it’s probably not really comparable to the likes of Odd and Trof. It’s got a more sophisticated, chic vibe to it. I think the clientele here is a little older lot and I believe it’s over 21s at the weekend. It’s been voted the best bar in Manchester for two years running by the pride of Manchester awards and you do find the odd Corrie star in here, so it’s definitely giving someone kicks. Wednesday’s is comedy night, Thursday’s is live music night and at the weekends djs are play a variety of disco, Motown, 80’s, 90’s, a lot of cheese I’ve experienced.
It’s tucked away up Hilton Street so if you come here you’ll probably find yourself stuck here for a while. There is a definite atmosphere here and I’ve experienced happy hour by screaming down the ear to my mate to have a conversation. The music I’ve found has been unnecessarily loud even though there are a lot of groups sitting around.
There is a restaurant bit to Lamaars and private parties are often going on in the back room. I think when I paid £14 for a bottle of Blossom Hill I wasn’t too impressed. That’s stuck in my memory of Lamaars which overall taints my review.

My friend introduced me to Lammars in 2009, and since then I’ve been there many times. It is no wonder the place is trendy: the interior dazzles you with its uncanny fusion of different styles and pieces of décor. You will be sitting there, overlooking the bar with unusual if not kitschy candelabra, and from the ceiling the figures from reproductions by the Italian Masters will be looking down upon you. As we would all agree, there is something about sipping on your cocktail or chatting over a pint, while Jesus is watching you — quite literally so.
The whole space is divided into small areas, every one of them in a different style. My favourite comes next after the one that faces the bar. It has rounded seats, mirrors, and a white piano that always brings Elton John to my mind.
They play live music at Lammars and have comedy nights, so the interior ends up being a great backdrop for either form of entertainment. I’ve only ever been there for a friendly drink, but I was never disappointed. Even on a quite night it is a great place to be at, but when it’s busy and buzzing I like it even more. This is when its syncretic design is enlivened by the merry crowd, and Lammars emerges at its most opulent.

On searching the Internet for a website for this establishment, I was surprised to see this place mentioned on several foodie websites as a wonderful tapas bar.
I’ve only been once, on a Friday night, and there was certainly no room to sit down, let alone to munch on patatas bravas. What I experienced was a busy trendy bar with a good atmosphere, if somewhat expensive drinks and a crowd who don’t seem to mind barging into you to get to the bar. It’s funny how rock pubs and clubs seem to get the reputation of having rude and ignorant clientèle, but it’s often these classier establishments where you find people with no manners, whilst the leather clad punks will quite happily wait their turn.
It attracts a slightly older crowd than some of the other bars in the Northern Quarter and due to its slightly out of the way location it doesn’t attract too much passing trade, which means that it must have a pretty good reputation.
A good place for a pre-​night out drink, but definitely no space for eating or dancing at the weekends.

Lammars is one of my favourite Manchester haunts and is nicely tucked away at the very top end of the Northern Quarter.
It’s external appearance belies how huge it is inside but it still gets extremely busy at weekends. The décor is eclectic and unusual, with huge artefacts and wall decorations everywhere you look. It’s a little like being in a drag queen’s boudoir and that’s why I love it. There are about 20 different types of chair, in varying degrees of comfort, but I tend to plump for the really comfy ones at the front of the bar, if I can find a space. I’ve happily wiled away many an hour here and the people watching is always good too.
Drinks are averagely priced and queues at the bar can be very lengthy. There is a good selection of beers and spirits and the bar staff are generally very nice.

There seems to be some sort of law in the Northern Quarter that if you’re designing a bar you must make it quintessentially odd, outlandish or niche. Whoever designed Lammars clearly read the handbook, because it combines wood paneling and bare-​brick walls with red cushioned seating and glossy surfaces to create a slightly over-​the-​top atmosphere, although one that is not entirely too much. It’s the sort of thing that can grow on you, I suppose.
They put on comedy nights, quiz nights and live nights, so entertainment-​wise there’s a fair bit going on throughout the week, and the drink selection is pretty good as well. Certainly worth setting aside a night to try it out if you live nearby, though probably not somewhere you’d travel to spend time at.

Perfect place to let your hair down and have a boogie, music typically 70’s and 80’s classics, and perhaps surprisingly, a fairly trendy crowd! But pretencious this ‘aint.
Lammars on a Saturday night is absolutely heaving– and quite rightly so, this can be a bit of a down side though. as there seemed to be a lot of pushing and shoving going on late doors.
Aside from that, great fun!

My friend used to live opposite Lemars for a whole year and we never went in. The reason for this is the doormen situated outside with a little rope to help organise the queue.
It’s right in the heart of the Northern Quarter, surrounded by loads of good bars, why the hell would we queue for Lemars when there is so much else around? Especially when you realise that there is no point to the queue, no one actually leaves for the doormen to let you in, they simply keep you outside for a few minutes… and then let you in. It’s just a little bit too pretentious for me and that’s before you even step in the door, no thanks.
However I found myself trudging along to Lemars one Friday night due to my friend having his birthday party there. So off I went, I have to admit, I was curious, what made Lemars so good that people queued up night after night?!
I wasn’t that impressed. I was shocked by how busy it was, although it was a Friday, I literally had to fight my way through the crowd to get to my friends. The music was a little strange, it would go from here and now chart toppers to back in the day to random oldies like Will Smith ‘Summertime’.
The bar was ridiculously busy, far too busy for the limited staff to keep up and the drink prices were incredible. I was expecting Northern Quarter prices and was still shocked! £8 for a double and mixer in a bar?!
We left after a while, when you can’t buy three drinks for £20 it’s not my type of bar.

Have you seen that film Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist– its an indie romance and they spend the whole time looking for a band called Where’s Fluffy? They are in Manhattan.
I felt like Nick and Nora the first time I arranged to meet a friend at Lammars. Its on Hilton Street — but you try playing the game Where’s Lammars? Its not fun after a while especially when loads of people in the Northern Quarter don’t actually know. Tip– its right up top of the Northern Quarter, like past where you’d turn off to go to Piccadilly.
Once you’re in though, this is a superb restaurant and bar with open mic nights, comedy nights and DJs till 1am on the weekend. Love the loft style décor and cool atmosphere. Well worth trekking about for.

I came here for drinks with my friends and fell in love with the place — mainly, as James already mentioned, because of the wonderful décor. Housed in an old textile mill, this place has stayed true to its loft feel. You can’t beat the warmth of stripped floorboards, drapes, retro leather couches, stripped brick walls, warm focal lighting and well-​placed art. It reminds me of the bars and apartments you find in New York!
The bar staff are friendly and they have a great beer selection here including vedett and modelo and quite often have great offers like 2 bottle of becks for £4. There’s also a free comedy night on a Wednesday (although I’ve never been) and live music every Thursday. I’m going there next week to take advantage of their half price offer on the restaurant menu… I’ll let you know how it was!

A great little oasis in the middle of the industrial desert land that is the northern tip of the city centre.
As an interior designer I spend much of my time in Lammars fawning over the eclectic mix of classic retro furniture and giving my pals Fosters fueled design history lessons.
Whilst the period in design history in which the chair you’re parked on for the night is not exactly a deal breaker to most people’s nights, décor is important and in Lammars, much of its character and cool comes from the interesting choices they’ve made.
The laid back atmosphere and friendly staff make up for the fairly pricey pints whilst the quiz night always proves to be a huge dent in my intellectual ego– turn up, have fun.

Ein echt gemütliches Pub mit vielen verschiedenen Sitzmöglichkeiten. Man fühlt sich dort sofort wohl. Perfekt für ein ruhiges Pint in gemütlicher Atmosphäre.

Remember the drag-​queen FuFu Lammar? This is her/​his place complete with chandeliers, ornate candlesticks, fabric wallpaper and huge sofas you can just sink straight into… A favourite haunt for those ‘in the know’, it’s potluck whether it’ll be crammed with drinkers or just be a space to chill.
There’s live music on certain days of the week– the jazz on a Weds if particularly good.
The food is a fine selection of tapas with an option for a huge Sunday lunch if you want to make a day of it.