MR THOMAS'S CHOP HOUSE — Restaurant in Manchester

We went here for a meal while down in Manchester for a trip. I was excited to try somewhere described as a 'Hidden Gem' of Manchester.

Firstly, the building itself is lovely, both inside and out. Very quaint.

5/7 of our table ordered the rump steak and the remaining two ordered duck. Unfortunately, the waiter came and told us there was only 1 duck left, so one of them also had rump steak.

We were brought steak knives. Only problem being, one of them wasn't a steak knife. It was a butter knife. When my friend pointed this out, the waiter told him it just looked like a butter knife but it was, in fact, a steak knife. He then walked off and we compared a butter knife to this knife, and they were exactly the same.

Either that or the dullest steak knife I've ever seen. It's up there for the dullest butter knifes I've used, to be honest. It probably should have told us something that the staff couldn't tell the difference.

We then had to wait an hour for our food. As I said, they were nearly all steaks. I can understand the Duck would obviously take longer, and they'd want them all to come at the same time. But if that's the case, maybe they should tell us so we're not sitting there wondering if we'll ever get our food. By their own admission they weren't busy, either.

When the food finally arrived, it was pretty good. Certainly nothing exceptional, but definitely not bad. I swapped "steak knives" with my friend and, it was definitely a butter knife. You couldn't cut mash with that thing, let alone Medium Steak.

We finished our meal and a lady with blonde shoulder length hair served us. She had an attitute straight away, which really rubbed me up the wrong way. My friend told her what we were paying each (we were splitting the bill) and she looked at him like she was offended. She then left the table with the card machine, went back to her till, served a different table, then came back to take our money. At no point did she ask how our meal was, try and make conversation, or anything. We felt like we were a nuisance for being there. Poor customer service and I would expect more from a place that presents itself as it does on it's website.

Overall, our experience was mixed. Probably wouldn't come again, but who knows maybe they were having a bad night. I think 3 stars is a fair estimation. Good food, poor service and a...

I booked a table at this place for tonight at 8, after hearing that it was an amazing place to go for traditional food in Manchester City Centre...regrettably I was held up and arrived 10 minutes late.

We went in and stood at the front of the restaurant for a good minute/minute and a half, before a young girl came and asked if she could help. I made her aware I had made a reservation but apologised that I was running a few minutes late. She looked perplexed and went to query it with a group of other staff stood in the corner.

After a couple of minutes discussion with her colleagues, another older lady who the young girl had been speaking to, barged over from the group and again asked what we wanted.

I again explained I had made a reservation for 8pm, but had been delayed a few minutes.

Whilst not empty, the restaurant was by no means full with several tables vacant. She then bizarrely said that they wouldn't be seating us as contradictory to each other, "the kitchen had closed at 8:15" (even though it wasn't yet 8:15) but also "they have to be really strict about the time they keep tables for." Either they just refuse anyone who turns up slightly late out of petulance or their kitchen was no longer serving, it's surely not both?

There was really no reason to be "strict" as there wasn't any other people waiting for a table. According to Google the restaurant is open until 10:30 pm.

I headed down the road towards Miller and Carter, and whilst doing this loaded up the MTCH website, loaded up their booking system, input details about the time/date I wanted, and it was still allowing me to book a table for MTCH for 8:30pm.As per attached image, I was able to do this by 8:16

Either the times on both Google/ their own website and booking system are wrong, or they just take exception to anyone who is slightly late.

I wanted to try and support a smaller establishment after a difficult couple of years for the restaurant trade but regret my choice after I walked 4 minutes down the road to large chain Miller and Carter who accommodated me no problem.

Might be worth swinging by on the off chance but wouldn't specifically head into town and pay for parking for them to have "closed the kitchen" whilst tables are still showing as available to book on the website, or them teaching you a lesson for daring to be...

Yesterday, my wife and I popped into the chophouse for a spot of lunch we were met immediately by a very welcoming member of staff who immediately showed us to a perfect table for two. We were then introduced to a waiter is name was Tom and a very nice gentleman he was. We ordered two glasses of Prosecco wine to start off our lunch, Tom then produced the menus and I ordered the steak and kidney pudding with chips and mushy peas, and my good lady ordered the fish. The food was of very high quality particular by sticking in the pudding which was filled to the brim with lots of steak and a vehicle amount of kidney. Hi good ladyfish was also of a very high standard cooked to perfection the perfect poached egg and wonderful potatoes. After a short rest and a half glass of Maretta beer we then ordered puddings my good lady plumped for the beautiful and sweet rice pudding and I plumped for the assortment of ice cream with shortbread. Tom gave us the 50% discount on the meal, and we were thoroughly delighted with the service from Tom and the rest of the Staff and the food was a very high quality and served very professionally, after our first experience of dining at the chophouse I can personally guarantee that my wife and I will know make this our regular dining venue, once again I would like to mention Tom the waiter for all this kind and helpful manner, hope to see you all soon thank you very much indeed, Peter and...