I went to every Spoons in Manchester to find out which was the best

Ah Wetherspoons, truly a blessing to anyone who fancies a cheap drink and a casual pub experience. It's where students and locals alike can gather and indulge their alcoholism (for students this will mean drowning away the sorrows of stress and pending deadlines).

But one questions remains. Which is the best Wetherspoons in Manchester? Is it Fallowfield favourite The Great Central? Or the majestic Moon Under Water? I decided to put each Spoons to the test and here were the findings.

The Great Central – Fallowfield

Spoons induced hangover cured by hair of the dog

Need somewhere for last minute pres? Check. A full English to cure your hangover? Check. Sunday night pub quizzes? Check.

The Great Central fulfils the general needs of the Manchester student for any occasion whilst being conveniently located in the heart of the student town. I have also found that the drinks here tend to be a bit stronger than some of the other Wetherspoons I have been to (big up gin). Another plus for this Spoons is that there are usually seats available whereas some of its twin pubs, seating is hard to come by.

Beware of coming at prime time on a Sunday morning however, it can be a bit loud as it is extremely popular with students and can get a bit loud (not the best for a hangover). Though as mentioned before, they do a killer breakfast.

Ratings:

Food: 6/10

Bevs: 9/10

Vibes: 9/10

Overall quality: 8.5/10

The Ford Madox Brown

Commonly know as the Ford Madox, this Spoons is also a popular student hotspot. Situated at the top of the Curry Mile, it's incredibly convenient to pop in for a drink after (or during) uni. In the warmer months it is also a great place to sit outside and day drink. Ford Madox also boasts the consistently quickest table service when using the app. The chips are pretty good too.

On the downside, it can be quite difficult to get a seat here especially on a Friday night and it can get incredibly loud which is hard if you're trying to have a conversation. Additionally, you can also expect to queue for a bit if you go up to the bar rather than use the app.

Ratings

Food: 7/10

Bevs: 7/10

Vibes: 8/10

Overall quality: 8/10

The Paramount

The Paramount is relatively nice for a Wetherspoons and quite large as well. However, it can get incredibly busy especially on weekend nights as it is frequented by both locals and students, meaning there's usually bouncers at the door to make sure fights don't break out over which Gallagher brother was the best. This makes it incredibly difficult to get a seat. I've also found the drinks here to be weaker when compared with other Wetherspoons and the app service can be a bit slow. But the bar staff are quite quick and they do the BEST pizza.

Ratings

Food: 7/10

Bevs: 6/10

Vibes: 7/10

Overall quality: 7/10

Wetherspoons Piccadilly

Forget ketchup. Jaeger dip is the way to go

Closest to city centre, Wetherspoons Piccadilly is a favourite among an older crowd, working professionals, and even some aimless students taking a break from lingering around the Arndale. It can get incredibly busy especially on weekends which can make it near impossible to get a seat and when you do, you are right on top of other patrons. Like the Paramount, there are also bouncers at the door.

Waiting time for food and drinks are relatively average as is the drink quality. However, this Spoons arguably does better food when compared with its counterparts.

Ratings

Food: 6/10

Bevs: 6/10

Vibes: 6/10

Overall quality: 6/10

The Moon Under Water

They have a nice carpet though

Tucked away in Deansgate, lies the Moon Under Water. This pub has long claimed to be one of (if not the biggest) pub in the UK. It is also arguably one of the nicer pubs in Manchester. However, other than these there is nothing entirely remarkable about this Wetherspoons as it is otherwise average in terms of drink and booze. It's location is also not the most ideal for students which likely explains why it is mostly frequented by young professionals working in the Deansgate area.

Ratings:

Food: 6/10

Bevs: 7/10

Vibes: 6/10

Overall quality: 6/10

The Seven Stars

This Spoons might as well be hiding. It's discretely located in the Manchester Printworks and like the other Spoons in city centre is frequented by an older crowd. It is relatively small but considerably busy on the weekends making it difficult to find a seat. It's business can also mean relatively slow service. Pints here are 10p cheaper than the other Spoons in Manchester. Other than this however, this Spoons too is also relatively average.

Ratings

Food: 5/10

Bevs: 5/10

Vibes: 4/10

Overall quality: 5/10

Final Verdict

Overall, a Spoons is a Spoons at the end of the day. They're all good levellers, bringing working professionals and English nationalists back down to earth in the form of cheap pints and greasy chips. They all have '80s airport lounge vibes, slightly smell, and the staff are always slightly dejected. However, we must have a winner, and ultimately it was the Great Central in Fallowfield that took the title of the best Wetherspoons in Manchester. After all, nothing can beat those Fallow vibes.