117. Bar de Reve / Bar 57, Tariff Street

Bar de Reve, Tariff Street, 2010. (c) Pubs of Manchester.

On the corner of the street between Jackson's Warehouse and the Crown & Anchor and opposite Lammars is Bar de Reve, formerly Bar 57 (or was that Fifty 7). This is the latest chic addition to the Piccadilly Basin end of the Northern Quarter, as bar owners desperately try and establish this part of town to be the new area to visit. With its very attractive looking furniture (and barmaids!) this bar seems to be trying just a tad too hard if I'm honest. Indeed, you get the feeling of being more in a hotel lobby bar, than that of trendy, upmarket, cosmopolitan Manchester. Maybe things change at night, as it was early evening when we tried it, and the place was pretty deserted. As you would expect, no sign of real ale, but a reasonable selection of bottled beer was available. The Little Creatures Pale Ale was a cracking drink, citrussy and full of hops. It's a shame that no-one will try Manchesters own beers, either draught or bottled, they just might be onto a winner!

Website: http://bardereve.com.

Bar de Reve, Tariff Street. (c) manchesterbars.