Rain Bar

I have a weird nostalgic pull for this place, given that I only previously visited it once before and that was in March 2006… I don’t understand nostalgia sometimes, I mean I didn’t even particularly like the people I visited it with… But still, it’s become a memory and so, at a loose end on a Saturday in Manchester, I thought I’d revisit. It’s a nice bar. I mean, it’s a JW Lees house, so you can’t really go wrong - a pint of the Manchester Craft Lager is always welcome. Probably comes into its own in summer, with large outdoor area to rear. Arrived when it opened so got a good table. It’s smaller inside than I remembered, although that memory is hazy. Small additional seating area down some stairs closed off with velvet rope today, so must be booked. Other customers gazed at it with longing. Decent choice of food. Pondered a burger but opted in the end for three small plates - koftas, loaded chips and halloumi fries. Decent scran, would order again. Surprisingly no chicken tenders or similar on small plate selection. Overall definitely a good place to come grab a drink when in town. Very convenient for Oxford Road station. Two paws up.

I remember coming here many years ago when it opened, long before many of today's customers were born. Only been a couple of times since. Last time on a proper cold, wet n dark Manchester evening. Jorvic making his first visit on a very sunny May Saturday. Busy with a good crowd enjoying the warmth. A JW Lees bar with a large canalside outdoor space. City centre prices. Jorvic on JW Lees Bitter. A classic pint. Toilets downstairs.

The staff and the venue are nice. Our Christmas party was at a mezzanine level so it was quite noisy with the downstairs bar sounds coming through. The turkey was dry, but there was plenty of gravy. The staff replied promptly and were very friendly.

We visited Rain Bar as a large group. We had pre-ordered our food. The food, drinks, service and atmosphere were excellent and we stayed way longer than we expected. The food was better than your average pub fayre despite it being a v busy afternoon. Great drinks terrace too. Staff were busy but always polite and attentive. Alex and Ursula arranged things efficiently on email. Thank you.

I visited this establishment for the first time yesterday and was quite impressed. It is certainly one of the finest pubs in Manchester, particularly on a sunny day. The food was excellent, and I sampled the Manchester Lager for the first time, which was quite enjoyable. The staff were friendly and attentive, and the overall experience was very positive.

We had our wedding reception here back at the end of April 2023. Of course, we knew Rain Bar for years as a great bar with outdoor space by the canal which was why we thought of it. It was absolutely amazing, beautiful newly renovated function room, great service through the evening, great food - loads of guest compliments to the chef! There were individual yummy gluten-free platters for our celiac guests which they really appreciated. Special thanks to Alex with whom we met to plan everything and very special thanks to Sarah who set up our decorations thoughtfully and beautifully. About 60 odd guests, plenty of space to dance and chat with drinks. Seating for family members who needed it. The area is so lovely with the fairy lights and the canal, we took some of our wedding couple shots there. Could not recommend this venue enough for events!

The staff was kind and helpful to visitors. The food was really delicious. 👍 👍 The beer from their brewery was great. 👍 The outside seating area looks great for spring and summer. Enjoy!

Really lovely pub. It's a great space - whether you want to sit outside overlooking the canal, or in a tiny little corner or in the bright main area. We had chicken BLT with fries. Fries were ace & the sandwich was huge. Friendly staff too