Cane & Grain — Restaurant in Manchester

Dreadful. Having booked, we perused the menu online. Some of the party were looking forward to ribs. On entry, we advised we had booked and were 'pointed' to a table. Nobody came to attend, so we asked what the protocol was and were told, you order everything at the bar. We proceeded to order drinks at the bar and were served by the most miserable young lady I've ever met in hospitality. It felt to us like she didn't want to be there and that we were paying the price. Nonetheless, we sat down to look at the very limited menu on the table. We asked if there was another menu as we didn't see any ribs. ~ "Oh, we don't do them any more". Next, we went back to the bar to order from the non plussed young lady. First item on the menu is a meat platter and that was the first order for us. "We haven't got that"....incredulous, I asked "Are you sure? There's hardly anything on the menu and you don't have the first item?" Let me check with the manager was her reply. She shouted over to a young guy stood by the door, who duly confirmed the absence of the meat platter. At this point, I asked why we hadn't been told what wasn't on the menu when we sat down, why is wasn't clear that we had to order at the bar and why we hadn't been shown to our table. I explained that with the bad attitude of the young lady behind the bar, it was fast becoming a bad experience. His reply was "I'm not surprised she has a bad attitude, she can hear you complaining about her" At this point, I made it clear that I was astounded by his answer as there had been no complaint until this point. He quickly made the excuse that it had been a long weekend (bank holiday) and that staff were very tired from putting in extra shifts. We drank up and left. Now, I've received bad service plenty of times before but this place takes the world record for incompetence from start to abrupt finish....

First of all I have to mention the transformation this place has undergone. A total transformation of the space and feel from the Thomas St Restaurant, the previous occupier, the 3 floors all have a unique style and feel very much like different venues, the attention to detail that has gone into each floor is amazing, if you like design check out some of the signs, they are a work of art. Each with it's own unique features but all welcoming and cosy, the Tap Room was hammered even on a Thursday but the others were quite quiet.

When we arrived we were whisked to the First Floor Bar which looks and feels like something out of 1930's New York, the detailing in the decor and menu's is phenomenal. The service was top class and our waitress gave us great recommendations on the food and drinks. To the important stuff, the food, we opted for the Rib Roll and a selection of sides. The 11" roll is a delicacy, the coleslaw is a perfect accompaniment to the perfectly cooked rib meat. Though the stand out for us was the sides, the Jalapenos in Smoking Jackets & Smoke Pit Beans with Burnt Ends were probably the best sides I've ever had in Manchester I'd have no hesitation ordering a table full of them whilst sampling some of the awesome cocktails.

My only minor negative is that the drink menu differs depending which floor you are on, I can understand that with signature cocktails but for things like draft beer it's a bit of a pain if you have to order on different levels if members of group want different. Luckily for us our waitress went downstairs to get us the draft beers though not sure that would happen if it was busier.

Will definitely...

About 3 years ago I came to have Spare ribs in Cane & Grain, It was so amazing that even I left Manchester for a few years I still thinking about come back have this rib. Came here with my friends in a Tuesday evening, there were only us ordered food at that time. It looks not busy from we looking inside tables or outside. We waited nearly an hour for our food (2 burgers, a small rib and some fries). They didn’t come to say there is a waiting on food, and didn’t let us know why it takes so long. The burgers were amazing, fries as well so good. But the rib is the last dish came to the table and how pathetic it is that even it takes so long to cook it still so dry and hardly can come out from the bone. It is very very disappointing for somebody who have been looking forward to this dish, even wait through the covid pandemic to finish to come back to this city particularly this restaurant to have it. What makes it even worse is none of the staff downstairs care, not even one person came to ask if the food is okay when we supposed to be full-mouths and say” y/e&ah it’s go@**+]od” with a thumb like I used to do. I am not very happy with it at all, and i think they know exactly why the food is like this and that’s why they didn’t came to ask if the food is okay, because they know.

Although everything else was still perfect as they should be. But this dry-chewy spare and the service...