The Beagle — Restaurant in Manchester

A mere hop and a skip away from the burb's main transport links and with the credentials of the Northern Quarter's Port Street Beer House attached, you can see why Chorltonites and City Centre dwellers alike are letting The Beagle lead them to their ideal post-work evening. Its impressive outdoor area blends seamlessly into the bar itself when the large front doors are opened; something that's happening a lot in this uncharacteristic heatwave and something DesignMyNight were very grateful for when we settled in for a balmy teatime treat.

Dubbed as 'a beer house with a dining room', The Beagle offers sumptuous surrounds with artwork peppered walls, rough 'n' ready exposed brickwork and perfectly polished dark wood. It's an eclectic mix of traditional and quirky but it works, and while its front terrace makes for the perfect suntrap in the summer months, you can see how the interior would be comfortingly cosy when those cold nights start to draw in. It's also proud of its dog-friendly status, and we couldn't help but coo and squee when (aptly enough) a tiny beagle puppy wandered through the bar (on a lead, of course). A variety of cushioned benches and booths line the walls with plentiful seating at the bar, alongside smaller tables set up with dining chairs. It all feels delightfully relaxed and homely.

You'll find everyone in The Beagle from the aforementioned dog walkers to young urban professionals, yummy mummies to creatives with laptops... it offers something for everyone. It boasts live music, DJs, beer festivals, 'Meet the Brewer' events relating to their impressive array of craft beers, food nights and more. Keep an eye on their website for their latest goings-on. Another aspect of The Beagle adding weight to the idea of each visit feeling different is the fact that rather than a static food menu, a Guerilla Eats food vendor caters the place each week to provide seven days of deliciousness before another takes their place.

Our visit took place during fried chicken week, and the descriptions on the temporary menu had us salivating before we'd even ordered anything. A staple buttermilk fried chicken base founded each dish, which would then become a burger or salad. The New Yorker with crispy maple bacon and cheese was a no brainer, and its £8 price tag seemed far too reasonable for a meal not only tantalisingly tasty but large in portion size. Fries and homemade coleslaw came as standard, and two burger orders come with a free side of BBQ nachos which were fresh, crisp and delightful. As would be expected from the folks behind PSBH, there's a veritable Beer Bible on offer with bottles from far and wide and some guest ales too. The cocktail menu is small, simple and striking, and our mojitos were amongst the best we've had in Manchester and a snip at £6 each.

If you're a Chorlton-dweller, consider yourself lucky to have The Beagle within reach; if you're not, it's certainly a place worth travelling for (especially with those super quick trams as an option now). Can you think of anywhere else in Manchester that showcases street food as its main menu, and changes that menu so frequently? Every visit would be different, especially if you took it upon yourself to sample their entire roster of beers. While it's definitely one to look out for in the winter months, you should soak up as many rays as possible on their suntrap of a terrace now that you have the chance. We'll be back for some more Guerilla Eats, craft beers and tasty...

As a local resident and business owner myself, I understand the importance of honest feedback, which is why I wanted to take the time to share my recent experiences with you. I recently visited your restaurant at The Beagle in Chorlton on two separate occasions within a few weeks, and unfortunately, I left both times feeling extremely disappointed.

While we returned for the second visit due to a gift voucher we were kindly gifted, the level of service and overall experience confirmed that we would not choose to visit again. I’d like to outline the issues we encountered, as I hope it may help your team improve the experience for future customers: Incorrect Charges: We requested two dips at £2 each but were served three and charged £5, which was confusing and frustrating. Cleanliness Concerns: When we were seated (at 1pm on a Friday), the sofa seat was absolutely covered in crumbs, and the windows were visibly filthy, which did not set a good first impression. Drink Orders: Our drink order had to be redone as we were served two Diet Cokes when we had ordered one Diet and one regular. Additionally, we noticed another table being served the wrong drinks as well. Miscommunication About Offers: We were told the 50% off deal was available, only to find at payment that it didn’t apply on Fridays. Clear communication on offers is essential to avoid disappointment. Presentation of Food: Being served on flimsy paper plates felt underwhelming, especially given their environmental impact and how carelessly they were placed on the table. This detracted from the overall dining experience. Repeated Cooking Issues: On both occasions, something went wrong with the pizza preparation, resulting in it needing to be recooked. Dessert Service: When we ordered two desserts, no cutlery was provided, and they were simply placed on paper plates in front of us. As we intended to share and try each other’s, this made the experience inconvenient and disappointing.

I genuinely hope this feedback is taken as constructive, as I can see potential in your offering and believe small changes could make a significant difference to the overall customer experience.

Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns, and I wish you all the best...

I haven’t been to this bar in a few years and what a transformation. From a busy brunch spot to a cold lifeless bar.

We came in the early evening to try the pizza. On arrival it was very quiet, a couple of other tables, all sat in the conservatory. It was a cold, wet day and the door was wide open. I was hoping for a bit of warmth!

We sat at a nice table and got drinks from the bar. I had a margarita which was fine but nothing special tbh. We ordered the N’duja pizza and a garlic bread.

The garlic bread came first and it was tasty. Unfortunately the bottom was burnt black and was very unpleasant tasting. I ate around it best I could.

The pizza arrived and it looked nice. I found the base very bready. I felt it wasn’t fresh? Perhaps frozen? I should have asked, my bad. The pizza was just ok, nothing special unfortunately.

They had ice cream sandwiches and I love those! I tried the red velvet one. I’m happy to report that it was very tasty. When it came I thought it was a bit small but it turned out to be the perfect size for my appetite. Again it wasn’t made fresh but came in a cute wrapper with the factory production dated printed on it. I dunno, I prefer fresh food when eating out.

All the food was served on paper plates (the pizza came on a baking tray) which made me feel as if I were at a child’s dinner party. I thought it was pretty cheap, I prefer to eat from real plates if I’m paying to eat somewhere!

Staff were friendly, but the barman wasn’t very knowledgeable, couldn’t make an Ameretto sour

Overall, I would go back for a pint and perhaps get my pizza elsewhere. Plenty of good pizza spots...