The Star & Garter - Manchester - Pub Reviews

The Star & Garter stands as one of Manchester’s most iconic music pubs. Housed in a red-brick building dating back to 1803 (later moved, brick by brick, to its current Fairfield Street site in 1877 during the railway expansion), this Grade-II-listed venue sits just behind Piccadilly Station. Often described as “legendary” in local guides, it’s a relic of Manchester’s anti-glitz, old-school culture. Here, piled-up gig posters and worn wooden furnishings set the stage for a no-frills experience: it’s not a trendy craft cocktail bar, nor a sports pub, but a cornerstone of Manchester’s indie and alternative music scene. Decades of club nights and live gigs (from punk to experimental) have made it a home for students and seasoned gig-goers alike. The Star & Garter has even earned praise as a “bastion” of the city’s music culture – one where up-and-coming acts (even The Courteeners’ Liam Fray) have cut their teeth at open-mic nights. In short, this is Manchester at its most authentic: a vibrant, community-driven pub where the music never stops.

Facilities & Entertainment

The Star & Garter’s layout is straightforward and focused entirely on music and socialising. The ground floor is a simple bar-room with a long wooden counter, a few booths and tables, and walls adorned with faded concert flyers and graffiti. You won’t find a dartboard, pool table or big-screen TV – sports and pub games are not part of the experience here. Instead, the real attraction is upstairs: a plain performance space/dancefloor where live bands and DJs crank up everything from indie rock and punk to metal and 80s synth. As one local pub guide bluntly notes, there are “no darts or pool tables” and even “no live sports” at the Star & Garter – the venue focuses on music events and club nights. In practice that means nearly every night features something going on: themed club nights, tribute parties, DJs, or touring bands. On quieter evenings you might spot a board game or two on the tables, but generally the mood is set by the upcoming gig rather than pub entertainment. There is minimal outdoor space (a few benches out front or a small courtyard to catch a cigarette break), and no private parking – its backstreet location behind Piccadilly is meant for foot traffic and band vans, not cars. In short, The Star & Garter operates like a small music club with a pub attached: it’s all about the playlists and performances, not pool cues or sports replays.

Food on Offer

True to its music-venue character, The Star & Garter does not serve a full dinner menu. In fact, as one review points out, “The Star & Garter doesn’t have an extensive food menu, as it primarily focuses on being a live music venue and pub”. Expect only basic bar snacks or sandwiches at best (and nothing elaborate). There’s usually the odd stocked chip bowl or crisps, and sometimes food trucks or pop-up stalls might be parked out back during major events. For a proper meal, most patrons will grab food elsewhere first or order in. The upside is that drinks are fairly priced for the area, and the pub atmosphere is lively – so the advice is simply to enjoy a pint at the bar and then head upstairs or across the road for food if needed. In practice, people often make an evening of it by pairing a few inexpensive drinks here with a visit to nearby Chinatown restaurants or Northern Quarter eateries after the gig.

Beers on Tap

Beer lovers will find a good, varied selection at the Star & Garter. The taps typically include popular lagers and ales alongside local craft brews. In past drink menus (e.g. a 2016 price list) the draft line-up featured names like Peroni, Amstel and Guinness, as well as Doom Bar and Newcastle’s Chieftain IPA. Those are complemented by bottled or canned imports and craft beers – you might see a Brewdog Punk IPA, Belgian ales like Duvel or Chimay, and fruity ciders lining the back bar. Real-ale fans will usually find at least one cask option on, and the staff keep the lines clean, so pints taste good. Because this is an independent pub, the beer selection can rotate slightly, but it always mixes familiar classics with something new for adventurous drinkers. Spirits and wine are also available (with a decent gin menu often on offer), but in keeping with its tradition, the Star & Garter shines through a steady stream of well-kept pints and a relaxed grab-a-seat, order-at-the-bar vibe.

Price Range & Value

By Manchester standards, The Star & Garter falls into the mid-range category for pricing. You won’t find ultra-cheap student pints (those are more a Northern Quarter thing) but you also won’t pay Shoreditch-level prices. As a concrete example, an old bar tariff from 2016 showed draft pints ranging roughly £4.30–£5.20 each (for instance, Doom Bar at £4.30 and popular ales like Peroni around £5.20). Bottled premium beers and cider typically ran in the mid-£4s then, and spirits in the mid-£3 to £5 range per shot. By 2025 these numbers have crept up a little, but only modestly – even today, a standard pint here will usually be about £5–£5.50, and a large bottled beer or speciality ale maybe £5–£6. Those prices feel fair for a city-centre music venue with its history. In general, customers say you get honest value: the pints are well-poured and the vibe is lively, so paying a bit above a suburb chain pub feels justified. In sum, it’s not cheap-alehouse territory, but neither is it pricing you out – it offers solid mid-tier value, especially on a night out with good live music.

Customer Service

The Star & Garter’s staff culture is as genuine as its drink prices. Patrons and press alike note that the team behind the bar feel more like community figures than aloof servers. For about two decades, landlord Andy Martin (licensee from 2003 until his death in 2024) set the tone. He was widely remembered as “a lovely man from head to foot… truly a man of the people”. Andy famously worked the door alongside an old-school doorman (nicknamed “Strawboss”), creating a familial atmosphere – one former promoter recalled “Strawboss was like your granddad and Andy was your uncle”, keeping everyone in line. The result was a welcoming vibe: long-time locals say bartenders quickly learn your name and usual order, and even first-timers often leave feeling like part of a scene. Of course, this is a busy late-night spot, so it’s far from table-service fancy. During big gigs, you’ll wait in line at the bar, and staff will bustle to keep drinks flowing and clear glasses. But they do so with a smile and a bit of banter. There’s a genuine sense that rude behaviour isn’t tolerated (Andy was known to ban troublemakers), so generally customers treat each other with respect. In practice, reviews consistently praise the Star & Garter’s down-to-earth service: it feels low-key and friendly, the way an independent pub should be.

Events & Special Nights

What really sets The Star & Garter apart are its events – in essence, every night is special here. The pub has hosted some of Manchester’s most enduring club nights and gigs. Chief among these is the “Smiths Disco”, a tribute night to The Smiths that’s become legendary; Morrissey and Smiths fans now flock from across the globe for its regular instalments. Likewise, the ‘Smile’ club night (started in 1993 as a quirky indie/60s-themed party) earned national fame – it was described as “clubbing for the dressed up and the disenfranchised,” with kids queuing around the block. Over the years the Star & Garter has cultivated many such scenes. There was an electro-indie night called “Keys Money Lipstick,” and regular punk and metal shows upstairs. As one music journalist summed up, the pub serves “the city’s indie, punk, metal and experimental scenes” that might be ignored elsewhere. Many bands played here early on – UK Subs, Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes, even Liam Fray of The Courteeners at open-mic nights – because the Star & Garter embraced up-and-comers.

Besides weekly clubbing, the venue also ties into bigger Manchester events. For example, it was recently incorporated into festivals at Depot Mayfield (the nearby converted rail depot), hosting after parties for events like Homobloc and Repercussion. And on occasion when film and TV crews descend on Manchester, this pub pops up on screen – it doubled as “Crow’s Nest” in the TV series Brassic and even appeared in the Russell T Davies drama It’s A Sin. In short, the Star & Garter’s calendar is packed: you might step in on a random Friday to find a punk gig just beginning, or a DJ spinning tribute tracks till 2am. Regular themed nights (Smiths, indie classics, ’80s new wave, etc.) ensure that there’s always a different crowd and vibe waiting. Keep an eye on their social media or chalkboard announcements – even regulars say the best surprise is walking in off the street to an unadvertised show. It’s the kind of place where fans of a niche genre can find their people on any given night.

Atmosphere & Accessibility

Step through the pub’s weathered door and you enter a warm, buzzing world far removed from the polished city outside. The style is unapologetically gritty – dark wood bars, threadbare carpets, tables scrawled with graffiti. A few old leather stools and an electric fireplace (on cold nights) add to a “dive-pub” charm. There’s often rock, punk or alt-pop music thumping even downstairs to set the mood. By about 8pm the place fills with a mix of punks, goths, hipsters and city workers winding down. One writer even quoted Dazed magazine describing the scene: “vintage clad girls, Cansei de Ser Sexy pounding out of the speakers, cheap pints and well-attired boys” – a snapshot of the creative, egalitarian crowd. Conversations range from indie record releases to the day’s work; the overall vibe is lively, unpretentious and a little rough around the edges in the best way. On a typical night you might see a local band’s tee-shirt mixing with an Eddie Murphy concert shirt on the same bar-top. Although the music is loud upstairs, downstairs people still chat freely, and there’s genuine friendliness in the air. In fact, the Star & Garter prides itself on being a safe haven: as one long-time DJ said, it attracted “all the weirdos and the freaks” that mainstream clubs would turn away, and Andy’s no-nonsense door policy made it feel inclusive and secure.

Physically, the pub is fairly small and cozy (almost underground in feel). It can get packed before a show, so arriving early is wise if you want a seat. On the plus side, the main room and bar area are mostly on one level (with maybe a short step up at the entrance), so it’s relatively easy to navigate. The stage space upstairs is only accessible by stairs (no lift), which could be a challenge for those with mobility issues. There are restrooms downstairs (though as in any old pub, they’re a bit tight). Outdoor seating is minimal – just a few benches and a fenced yard – but this hidden corner off the street is a coveted spot for fresh air between songs. Unlike a newer bar, you won’t find fancy accessibility upgrades or lots of open space here, but the friendly crowd and staff do what they can (often carrying drinks to tables for anyone who needs help). And yes, dogs are often seen curling up by their owners’ feet downstairs – it feels that much like a homey local pub, even though it’s in the heart of the city.

Location & Nearby Attractions

The Star & Garter’s address at 18–20 Fairfield Street places it right behind Manchester Piccadilly station. In fact, you can exit the station’s back side and almost stumble into the pub within a minute. This makes it incredibly easy to reach: trains from across the UK stop at Piccadilly, and several bus and tram routes (including the Metrolink tram lines at Piccadilly Gardens) run nearby. For many, it’s just a couple of tube-stations ride from anywhere in Manchester. Despite being so central, the pub feels a world apart thanks to its tucked-away setting under the railway arches.

Once you’ve had your fill of music, there’s plenty to explore in the vicinity. A short walk south takes you to Manchester’s lively Chinatown (worth sampling some late-night noodles or dim sum). Head north instead and you’ll enter the Northern Quarter’s web of independent shops, cafes and bars – a magnet for creative types. Just around the corner is the revamped Depot Mayfield, an old train depot now hosting gigs and street food pop-ups; the Star & Garter sometimes participates in Depot’s events as a partner venue. Nearby is also the impressive Manchester Central convention complex (a former railway station itself) and the flagship art/music venue Band on the Wall (a few streets over). If you prefer green space, the new Mayfield Park is being planted on the old rail yards just a block away, and Piccadilly Gardens is a ten-minute walk. In short, the pub’s location is ideal for combining your visit with any city-center outing: shopping at the Arndale, catching a show at the O₂ Apollo (a 15-minute walk), or simply pub-hopping around Piccadilly.

Parking is limited in this congested area, so most people rely on transit or taxis. There’s no private lot, only sporadic metered street parking. (Cyclists do have some bike racks by the station.) In practice, groups usually plan to meet at Piccadilly station and wander here on foot. If you are driving, the pub’s staff will at least happily serve as valets of conversation, but you’ll likely end up in a nearby NCP or on the half-price streets at dawn. Overall, whether you’re a local or a visitor, the Star & Garter’s central yet tucked-away spot makes it a convenient last stop (or first stop) on a Manchester night out.

Overall Impression

The Star & Garter delivers a uniquely Manchester pub experience by marrying hardcore music culture with old-school pub spirit. It’s not a chain and it certainly isn’t polished – and that’s precisely its charm. You can drink a well-poured pint of Doom Bar or a crisp lager, but the real draw is the sense of history and community around you. Over its two-hundred-year lifespan it has seen Manchester grow and change, yet it has steadfastly remained a refuge for grassroots music. In recent years it even appeared on television (as the Crow’s Nest pub in the comedy Brassic and in drama series like It’s A Sin), yet when you walk in it still feels unpretentious and local.

Patrons praise it as a “vibrant escape” from the mainstream nightlife, where everyone from angry punks to indie kids can coexist. It’s a pub where your hair might be differently colored than your neighbour’s, but you all smile over the same barstool. Yes, it has quirks – it gets crowded, the music is loud, and on gig nights you’ll queue for your drink. But those are the trade-offs for the rewards of authenticity. The mismatched antiques and peeling posters tell stories more interesting than any fancy décor could. The cheapest coach-share of a pint here feels like a fair trade for rubbing shoulders with Manchester’s creative heart.

The Star & Garter is a must-visit for anyone craving the real indie music vibe of the city. It may not be for everyone – if you want big screens, sports, or a gourmet menu, look elsewhere. But if you’re seeking raw energy, friendly faces, and a dose of Mancunian music history, you’ll leave here with memories of wild nights, new friends, and maybe a song lyric stuck in your head. For diehard music fans, it’s a legend; for the uninitiated, it’s a revelation. Either way, once you’ve experienced The Star & Garter, you’ll understand why so many call it a living piece of Manchester’s cultural tapestry – a place where the city’s creative spirit truly beats strong.