Review: Black Dog Ballroom (Northern Quarter)
By Adam Fearn
Black Dog Ballroom has long been a popular choice amongst students across Manchester. Boasting a wide range of beers, filling pub grub, and a number of quality pool tables, it has gained a reputation within the student sphere as a fantastic place to spend a Saturday afternoon unwinding with friends. We decided to visit earlier this month to experience Black Dog’s speakeasy atmosphere ourselves.
Upon entering, we were greeted by Georgia, a friendly, chatty member of the establishment’s staff. After being seated, our waitress recommended a selection of their most popular beers and dishes. The comprehensive menu, served from 10am until 1am daily, takes advantage of locally sourced ingredients in its dishes. All of the pub grub favourites are here, such as the New York styled burgers, fresh pizzas and gourmet hotdogs, as well as healthier options of salads, catering for every type of student audience.
I chose to sample the mozzarella sticks for my starter, followed by The Classic Northern Quarter Pounder; a succulent beef burger made from 100% local Cheshire beef and served on a toasted bun, with fries and garnish. For only £4.95, it was perfect! Your usual array of extra toppings to customize your meal further can be added for an extra price of 75p, including Lancashire cheese, roasted Mediterranean vegetables, and jalapeños. The service was quick, and Georgia was quick to replenish our drinks with a selection of the other real ales that were on offer.
Our visit to The Northern Quarter’s Black Dog Ballroom confirmed the bar’s reputation as a relaxing and calm space to relax with friends after a grueling day of lectures and seminars. All of the prices were reasonable and the food was well portioned and delicious. My friend and I stayed around for a few more drinks even after we had finished our meals for a few games of pool on one of the four pool tables that were open for hire. The venue hosts various club nights throughout the week and always offers discounts to students, so make sure you bring your student card when you visit!
More information about Black Dog can be found on their website and Twitter pages:
Website – http://www.blackdogballroom.co.uk/nq/
Twitter – @BlackDogNQ