Our Northern Quarter Reviews Continue...

Odd  Bar
30-32 Thomas Street,
Northern Quarter,
Manchester
M4 1ER
0161 833 0070

Not to be confused with its sister bar, Odder, the original slightly smaller (and still the best) Odd bar is as independent as it is wonderfully original. The place is cram full of stylish (if not stylised) oddities, ranging from odd dolls, and strangeness, to cool knick-knacks from around (the stalls of countless markets) if not the world. Whilst the beers and drinks offer the same quality, being from around the world there’s a distinct variety and for the arty types, for which such a place must always cater with Leffe in big bottles and Fruli on tap. There’s also a local nod of respect to the Marble Beer Company with its fine guest ales and organic splendour. 

Odd, is just like the word, a wonderfully small and friendly place, Odd as can be, with a brazen quality which shouts strange and kooky cool, in an understated way. You can sense that this bar was / is someone's love, someone's baby, an idea from years ago that finally happened. It's their bar and they are having fun with bags of personality, experience and established age on their side. The walls show different quality artworks, from post grads and beyond, which you can take home with you, to your swanky city centre flat, a lot of the 'locals' are exactly that: 'creatives' that have made it, a lot of them living in the designer flats just minutes walk away. Made by the NQ for the NQ.

The art doesn't stop there with occasional independent films and portfolios being shown downstairs, in a little oasis of calm, that feels like a very cool London warehouse flat lounge with its exposed brick and hundreds of mirrors on the walls. The leather spools, just perfect for free wi-fi lunch, lounging whilst brainstorming your newest idea with cooler colleagues, or finally jotting down that poem you have been wrestling with all week. The area is ideal for such meetings and moments and often used as such, combine this with a all round really rather good food offerings with plates to share, and a new to-die-for menu in the offing and you can see why its become a thing of legend and a bit of a well kept secret from the rest of Manchester.

You get the sense that people care about the bar as well, from the lack of graffiti on the toilet wall, the stylish and well kept wallpapers, and the nice touches in every room. The music policy is also as tasteful with Thursday with Dunk La Chunk, Friday nights with 'Oh Yeah' under the watchful ears of Daniel Wallace , Saturdays with a residency from Danny Webb and Sunday with Sean Vinylment, every night seemingly a mix of eclectic and easy drinking tunage. With upstairs being open enough for a dance, but the aspect being chatting and enjoying rather than sweating and coughing, Odd certainly has style and more to spare, you would be Odd to miss it.

Words: Danny Sodergren