Categories > Guides and Tips
10 Prestwich Bars That Redefine Fun
Sure, your local pub has all the bells, whistles, and beer you’ll need. Yet sometimes, don’t you just feel like trying out something new?
That’s precisely what we had in mind when our research brought our team into the middle of New Bury Road. We’re glad we found the best restaurants on that side of Manchester, but something still felt missing.
To see what else the town has to offer, we searched for the most trendy Prestwich bars. Here’s a roundup of hidden and prominently displayed drinking gems, so let’s get cracking!
The Crooked Man
Media from The Crooked Man Bar
Address: 7 Fairfax Road
Contact details: 07738670522
Operating hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM
- Friday – 3:00 PM to 12:00 AM
- Saturday – 12:00 PM to 12:00 AM
- Sunday – 1:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Pricing: £
For a cosy hangout with your best mates, drink your hearts out at the Crooked Man at Fairfax Road. This community spot has comfy interiors complete with tall tables, a bar, and a beer garden for sunny afternoons.
Beers (keg, cask, and bottle) are mainstays at the Crooked Man, but it’s also got wine, cider, gin, and soft drinks. Besides those, although original mixes are rare, this bar still makes proper renditions of classic cocktails.
Come here for the drinks but stay for the events: Monday quiz nights, spoken word poetry, and DJ sets are some to look forward to.
| Pro tip: Since the beer and events list at the Crooked Man changes regularly, make sure to check its Instagram page first before visiting. |
Wallop Prestwich
Media from Wallop
Address: 403 Bury New Road
Contact details: 0161 798 5219, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM
- Friday – 10:00 AM to 1:00 AM
- Saturday – 10:00 AM to 1:00 AM
- Sunday – 10:00 AM to 12:00 AM
Pricing: £
Wallop’s Prestwich branch will literally lamp (hit) you with a glorious mix of food and drink. It’s kind of a one-stop shop: you can have brunch with the family here in the mornings, AND you can also make it your go-to haunt for solo or group any time of day.
A solid meal to get here is the veggie fry up, Wallop’s lighter take on the traditional English breakfast. You can wash that down with a glass of vodka spiced tomato cocktail or an espresso martini—yes, alcohol is available all day!
Events also happen, so you’ll enjoy the premises in a new light now and then.
| Pro tip: For the best drink deals, go to Wallop Prestwich Monday to Friday between 4:00 and 7:00 PM for its happy hour. |
CUCKOO
Media from CUCKOO (Prestwich)
Address: 395-397 Bury New Road
Contact details: 0161 773 1721, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Tuesday – 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM
- Wednesday and Sunday – 9:00 AM to 10:30 PM
- Thursday – 9:00 AM to 11:30 PM
- Friday and Saturday – 9:00 AM to 12:30 AM
- Monday – CLOSED
Pricing: £
CUCKOO takes being a ‘neighbourhood staple’ to the next level.
How so? Aside from offering the usual brunch and coffee, it also sells pizza and cocktails—at a takeaway nook! There’s also an option to dine in, of course, but a morning potter ‘round not with a cuppa but an alcoholic pick-me-up is weird, but nice.
Crowd favourites include draught beer and margaritas, but we also suggest you try out CUCKOO’s pizzas. They’re stone-baked, so you’ll taste a pleasant char on the already tasty crust and toppings.
| Pro tip: CUCKOO’s first floor is a roomy and cosy spot for meals, drinks, and events. There are even regular yoga sessions held in this space! |
The Hideout Bar & Eatery
Media from The Hideout bar & eatery
Address: 2 Sherbourne Street
Contact details: 07949 798352, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Sunday to Thursday – 11:00 AM to 11:30 PM
- Friday and Saturday – 11:00 AM to 12:30 AM
Pricing: £
Old timers knew the Hideout Bar as ‘the Hideaway’, a beloved bar that closed down. Yet, its story isn’t really full of doom and gloom, but a happy one, since the Hideout improved a lot over what the Hideaway was!
This bar is indeed a ‘hideout’, thanks to its ‘blink-and-you’ll-miss-it’ entrance. It’s a long walk-through before even landing in the bar proper, but inside, its chic decor is like a warm greeting.
The Hideout’s been a hit with its breakfast plates like the Full English, its roster of draught beers (including the quintessential Guinness), and refreshing cocktails like margaritas and martinis.
| Pro tip: The Hideout has music acts performing in the premises on weekends (Friday to Sunday). Guaranteed “always free entry”, these are great companions to any bar hangout. |
All the Shapes
Media from ALL THE SHAPES
Address: 8 Warwick Street
Contact details: 0161 798 5555, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Sunday and Monday, Wednesday and Thursday – 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- Friday and Saturday – 9:00 AM to late
- Tuesday – CLOSED
Pricing: £
All the Shapes seems to have created its own version of a transition from ‘café by day to bar at night’, and back.
With this seamless setup paired with cosy interiors and airy outdoor drinking spots (there’s one at its back garden, and another out on the street that comes and goes with the seasons), you can work and play in one place.
Coffees and brunch are buzzin’, but honestly, we like the evenings better. The all-day beers and cocktails, plus the seasonal bar grub (it’s currently Mexican food) served Thursdays to Saturdays from 4:00 PM, are truly a sight and experience to behold.
| Pro tip: Thinking of bringing your dog with your bar visit? Feel totally free to do so, as All the Shapes allows them access to the bar’s ground level and outside spaces. |
Macca’s Bar & Grill
Media from Macca’s Bar & Grill
Address: 25–27 Longfield Centre
Contact details: 07944 235 032, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Monday – 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM
- Tuesday to Thursday – 10:30 AM to 11:00 PM
- Friday and Saturday – 10:30 AM to 12:00 AM
- Sunday – 10:30 AM to 11:00 PM
Pricing: £
Feel the authentic Irish fanfare even though you’re in the middle of jolly old Manchester when you go through the doors of Macca’s Bar & Grill.
It’s a banging destination for footy fans cheering for their precious teams over the telly, and for odd ones who just want a pint to relax.
Guinness is the ultimate star here, taken in its base form or as a cocktail – it’s perfectly fine. However, your visit to Macca’s can get better if you pair your glass with delicious grub.
The Irish breakfast is the typical no-nonsense choice, while the sausages and mash will surely perk you up with energy.
| Pro tip: Aside from football-centred stuff, Macca’s Bar & Grill also hosts game nights, musical acts, and special community events. Check its social media pages for the latest updates and schedules. |
Icons Bar & Restaurant
Media from @icons.prestwich
Address: 511 Bury New Road
Contact details: 0161 523 3603
Operating hours:
- Tuesday and Wednesday – 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM
- Thursday – 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM
- Friday and Saturday – 11:00 AM to 1:00 AM
- Sunday – 11:00 AM to 10:30 PM
Pricing: ££
Events like tribute acts are the highlight of evenings at the Icons Bar & Restaurant (hence the name). Do note that the festivities begin on Thursdays, with Tuesdays and Wednesdays being chill nights for simply drinking and chatting with mates.
To add, Icons only serves grub from Thursdays. That could be a deal breaker for those who don’t want any fuss with memorising schedules, but otherwise, we get it.
The menu itself has a mix of British and Middle Eastern influences, with tasty doner burgers, crispy fries, and crunchy chicken with some zing. Drinks are also top-notch with beers, cocktails, and wine.
| Pro tip: Icons Bar & Restaurant’s happy hour happens every Wednesday to Friday, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. |
Marr’s Bar MCR
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Address: 429 Bury New Road
Contact details: [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Wednesday and Thursday – 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM
- Friday and Saturday – 5:00 PM to 1:00 AM
- Sunday – 7:00 PM to 1:00 AM
- Monday and Tuesday – CLOSED
Pricing: ££
Sarah Marr has been channelling her F&B expertise into the local bar scene for years. If you’re a Prestwich local who has been to a place called ‘Cape to Cuba’ and loved it, be buzzed to know that it just rebranded into Marr’s Bar!
The bar is small, but the community is strong, with a true ladies’ touch. Have a go with cocktails and beers on tap (no grub, but we’re loving it).
There’s enough seating for small groups. Stay on the ground floor for cosy chats by the bar (or the pumping house music on DJ nights), or head upstairs to the balcony for an al fresco environ.
| Pro tip: If you’re going to Marr’s Bar on a weekend, expect a standing-only party atmosphere. Maybe that’s a sign not to skip leg day? |
Whole Bunch Wines (formerly Grape to Grain)
Media from Whole Bunch Wines
Address: 1 Church Lane
Contact details: 0161 362 4195, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Sunday and Wednesday – 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM
- Thursday and Friday – 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM
- Saturday – 12:00 PM to 12:00 AM
- Monday and Tuesday – CLOSED
Pricing: ££
Seems like Prestwich shops never shy away from reinvention. Take, for instance, the case of Whole Bunch Wines: this off-licence liquor shop and bar just did its own transformation in early 2025, and continues to be a sight to behold.
Whole Bunch didn’t just change its name and leave everything else the same. (Well, some things stayed the same, such as the wine tastings and cheeseboards, but why would you fix them if they’re not broken, right?)
Yet, the shop’s idea to bring in the chefs at Sushi Pod for a wine and sushi omakase (Japanese-style tasting menu) experience is just a new, brilliant thing to look out for!
| Pro tip: You can enjoy your cheese and wine inside Whole Bunch (there are plenty of seats for this), or sit and sip with the (literal) barrels outside for fresher air. |
The Goods In
Media from The Goods In
Address: Unit 2a, Stella House, Infant Street
Contact details: 0161 536 7869, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Thursday – 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- Friday and Saturday – 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Sunday – 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- Monday to Wednesday – CLOSED
Pricing: £
The Goods In is another 2020 baby that stands in a repurposed warehouse. Thanks to this and the management’s decision for quite an ‘open’ layout, the restaurant and bar is spacious—brilliant for workshops, parties, or busy weekend service full of people.
This spot is more popular as a sunny breakfast spot. Brekky meals like its version of a full English and the Jerk Fried Chicken (JFC) are popular orders.
Although its operating hours are limited to afternoons on most days, it doesn’t skimp on the quality of its drinks. The Goods In is loaded with beer and ready to whip up smooth cocktails like margaritas and bloody marys.
| Pro tip: The best way to get to the Goods In is via tram, since the whole place is just across the Heaton Park Metrolink stop. |
