Fress Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Manchester

Went for a meal with a friend, both our meals were wrong. My pancakes were basically raw, like they waved them over the stove and hoped for the best. For the prices they charge, you’d expect a basic understanding of cooking.

I contacted the manager before my birthday, thinking they’d offer a proper replacement as a nice gesture. After trying to call them about five hundred times (they seem allergic to picking up the phone), I finally got through. He offered one replacement meal instead of two — even though both were a mess — and said CCTV showed only one was “impacted.” Still not sure what camera angle gave him that conclusion.

He originally gave us a code or some kind of arrangement for the replacement, and we assumed (like normal people) it would be flexible — but apparently, it was only valid on one specific day. No heads up. No room for emergencies. If you couldn’t make it on that exact day, too bad. How that makes sense is beyond me. A few days after getting the code, I reached out and the manager completely lost it, throwing a tantrum like I was trying to steal the entire kitchen. I had to spell it out for him: “I haven’t even used the damn code yet. What planet do you live on?” Turns out the code was only valid that exact day, a tiny detail they conveniently forgot to mention. But instead of owning the mistake, he went full meltdown mode, treating me like a scam artist. It was like dealing with a toddler who thinks customer service means power trips and excuses. Absolutely pathetic.

On top of that, trying to get a straight answer from him felt like decoding hieroglyphics. Any question was met with weird vibes, like I was asking for the crown jewels. And when someone says “meal,” you’d naturally assume it includes a drink, apparently not. Just food. No drink. Dry throat included.

He offered for them to be delivered to my work place as I was running late for work and he wanted to be there to ensure the order was correct (which is understandable). I told him I work at the airport so that’s a no-go. So naturally, after a few days I asked if they could deliver to my house (which is literally nearby), and he thought I meant the airport where I work. Who in their right mind is asking for pancakes to be flown in mid-shift? I clarified I meant my house, and he still said no.

Eventually, we agreed on a collection. I let him know I was outside, sent my friend in, and he refused to give her the meal unless I came in personally. I’d just had a shower, wasn’t exactly dressed to be galavanting around the high street. He could’ve just called me. But no; full-on power trip mode.

In the end, I told him to keep the meal. It’s wild how much effort it took to get a replacement for something they messed up. The manager has a strange vibe, no customer service skills, and made a simple thing so unnecessarily complicated. Never again. Never experienced anything like...

🌟 Fress Brunch Review – A Meal to Remember, Thanks to Kay 🌟

Last weekend, I had the absolute pleasure of visiting Fress, a brunch spot I’d heard so much about — and let me just say, the experience did not disappoint. From the moment I walked in, I felt like I’d stepped into somewhere special. The vibe is relaxed but effortlessly stylish, with the comforting hum of good music, the gentle clatter of cutlery, and the smell of coffee and maple syrup dancing through the air.

I ordered the chicken and waffles, a classic that’s surprisingly hard to get right. But Fress absolutely nailed it. The chicken was fried to golden perfection — crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside, seasoned with just the right kick. The waffle? Fluffy, warm, with that slight crisp edge that tells you it was made fresh, not sitting under a heat lamp. Drizzled with maple syrup and a hint of chilli butter, it was the ultimate sweet-meets-savoury dish. I didn’t speak for a solid five minutes because I was too busy devouring every bite.

But let’s be honest — food can be amazing, but what really elevates a place to legendary status is the people. And that’s where Kay comes in.

Kay wasn’t just good at his job. He was exceptional. You know when someone just gets it? That perfect mix of professionalism, warmth, and banter — that’s Kay. From the moment we were seated, he made us feel like old friends. He talked us through the menu like it was a story he loved telling, offered genuine recommendations, and even made sure my coffee was topped up exactly when I needed it (without me saying a word).

It’s rare to meet someone in hospitality who seems so naturally built for it. Kay’s energy is infectious — he’s the kind of person who could brighten your whole day in just five minutes. He checked in at the perfect moments (never too much, never too little), remembered our names, and somehow managed to juggle a packed restaurant while still giving us 100% of his attention when he was at our table. That’s a skill — and Kay’s a master of it.

By the end of the meal, I was already planning my return — not just for the food, but because Kay made the entire experience feel personal. He’s the kind of person who makes you want to come back, bring your friends, and rave about it for weeks.

So here’s my honest review: Yes, the food is incredible. Yes, the atmosphere is on point. But if you’re lucky enough to have Kay as your server, you’re in for more than just a brunch. You’re in for a genuinely uplifting, memorable experience.

Fress, you’ve got a star on your hands — never let this man go. And Kay, if you’re reading this — thank you. You’re the reason I’ll be back again (and again).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ –...

I recently visited this place with a friend. Firstly the restaurant itself seems clean and visually appealing but that’s where the good ends. It took a minute for us to be seated which is fine and something I’m willing to look past. When we were eventually seated it all felt VERY claustrophobic. We were sat next to a couple who had a table next to us but there was maybe only 30cm between us. The atmosphere was not great. I would go as far as saying the layout of the restaurant was not thought out at all.

Next, the waiter we got seemed to be alright at first but he was extremely condescending. He asked if we had any allergies to which I said no but we would like all halal food. I was then told “that’s not really an allergy is it…?” And stared at like I had just said something out of pocket. When you also have non halal options on the menu I don’t think there’s anything wrong with clarifying this but the waiter didn’t seem to think so.

After we made our order we waited. And waited. And waited… Then finally! We got our drinks… We ordered a blue lagoon mocktail and it was just all syrup. Tried a sip and it was almost unbearably sweet. Asked our waiter if we could have another one and in all fairness he was willing to fix the drink. Comes back with almost the exact same thing. Then later admits that he in fact doesn’t know how to make drinks so usually just tells his colleagues to do it. Unprofessional.

All in all we waited around 55 minutes for our food to be served which is completely unacceptable when we’re just having basic breakfast items. I had a smoked salmon with scrambled eggs and toast. I kid you not the toast was so stale and hard. On top of that it was burnt to a crisp making for a difficult meal to enjoy. My friend’s meal was flavourless too.

If this place was a regular little cheap breakfast place I could let this slide but our total came out to £40! £40 for an abysmal experience. Horrendous service and disappointing food.

Of course I won’t be returning to this place but please be warned, do not believe fake social media influencers. Lesson learned. Paying people to review is one thing but paying them to glaze is diabolical. Any sort of social media review I saw made absolutely no mention of the long wait times and the claustrophobic environment.

Steer well clear...