Kro Bar, Manchester

The original Kro Bar is located just opposite The University of Manchester Student Union, and is always packed with students and academics alike. Everyone enjoys a pint or cuppa, after all...

I have drunk and eaten on both floors, as well as in beer garden, and the rooms on the top floor have to be my favourite. I love their leather sofas, wooden tables, large windows, and high ceilings. The view from the window may not be the most spectacular one, but on a summer evening, when there are not many students around, there is something lovely about watching the not-so-busy Oxford Road.

They do good coffees, and in the morning and early afternoon there is usually a good selection of cakes. As far as food goes, they offer a mix of traditional English and Italian choices on their menu. I personally love their pasta and mussels, with a glass of crisp white wine.

There's quite a few Kro Bars in Manchester, so which one is this? It's the one you go for a pint in before you watch a gig at the Academy across the road.

It used to be some kind of hippie squat cafe thing if I remember rightly... however, Kro is pretty far away from that hempy ethos.

Kro is all wooden floors and painted white walls with a good and varied selection of ales to get your chops around.

It is usually pretty full downstairs, but there's an upstairs to retreat to with a load of comfy sofas and the like.

The food is reasonable there... it can't be astounding because I can't remember a thing about my meals. At least I can safely say that they weren't bad in any way.

Out the front there's covered beer tables (though not many) should you need a smoke or indeed, want to sit outside for some air (the chances of it being 'fresh' is slim to nil thanks to being next to a dazzlingly busy road).

Essentially, this is a very pleasant pub. It won't blow your mind but you'll have a good time there.

Kro bar has a wide range of the more exotic drinks and your bog standard beer if you wanted, but given that it is not student prices here you may as well try something new for your moneys worth. Great to sit outside in the summer and watch the people go by if you don’t mind the noise from the buses.

Kro is located opposite Manchester University on Oxford Road, you can’t miss it, it’s a huge building with an all glass front. The selection of drinks is reasonable, mainly some of the more well known continental lagers and brand name spirits - the drinks aren’t that expensive, reasonable priced.

The food is lovely and good value for money. I had somekind of burger with black pudding when I last went, it was delicious, very filling - couldn’t finish it all!

This would be a great place to drink/eat with a few friends, plenty of seating areas and tables so you don’t feel squished in when it gets busy.

The original Kro bar is by far the best in the five strong chain. The premises is more cosy and welcoming than the ultra showy glass effort up the road. This Kro has big comfy chairs, reassuringly solid wood tables, and fabulously heated outdoor seating.

Kro bar sells a good range of continental lagers, spirits and hot drinks. They also sell an interesting menu of Danish inspired food, and some yummy pastries. The staff are competent and the place has a relaxed atmosphere. They often have good offers and promotions, at the moment they serve cocktails with red vodka on Tuesdays for £2.50.

I recommend sunday morning breakfast with a paper in the beer garden.

Fairly good pub opposite the Manchester University Student’s Union so perfect for the city’s students. Conversly, it seems that kro comes to life more in the day, as at night the area directly around the university is less busy than the city centre and fallowfield. Always packed in the daytime, whether for people catching up for a coffee, grabbing some lunch, or getting in some daytime drinking. Kro has a range of good quality food for lunch, but you may have to wait a while at peak times and struggle to get a seat. Good menu, with a hint of Danish influence. Kro also has a really good range of unusual beers, for instance wheat and fruit beers.

Kro Bar is ideally located for students, being just opposite the student union. The food is pretty good, and there’s a reasonable selection of drinks. The staff tend not to too friendly though, and I have been argued with over a stale bagel. It is also a big overpriced, which it can afford to be given its location, but which is a shame, as it does scare people away. The occasional gig upstairs can be a real treat, given its uniqueness as a venue. The Danish food is also an interesting aspect.

Kro bar is great if you have any life left in you. Not for the old or the faint hearted. The food is great especialy the breakfast. But its is a bit pricey! They have a great choice of different drinks to try. BUT if you dont like football dont go in when there is a game on as the play it and if you dont want to jump out your skin every time some one shouts 'GO ON LAD’ then you better invest in a pair of ear plugs.

great student hangout!!! not so good prices…bit expensive

Ah, Krobar! the perfect (ok, well except for the prices) student hangout. They put the football on. They do a killer English fried breakfast, and infact all of the food is alright, and the beer selection is pretty good too.

A great place to while away an afternoon or recover from a hangover.

nice enough bar and great place to catch some sun if there is any! good selection of beers but can get a little busy and bustled

great meeting place as on the edge of town or equally good for an all dayer, very handy for academy gigs too..good selection of beers and always good atmosphere

Bit of trivia here before Kro was opened it was a squat! I remember the squatters protesting against being ousted so they could open Kro.

I have to go against the grain of the reviewers below and say that I feel Kro has gone downhill a little bit, which is a disappointing decline. Although the food is still okay and offers a fair few choices which sound quite nice, the food I’ve had recently whilst dining there has been disappointing. Service has been a lot slower recently, and the burger tasted very strange, whereas in previous visits it tasted fresh and perfectly-seasoned.

Moreover, it seems staff are relatively slow to clear tables and I’ve had to sit at a dirty table on more than one occasion, which is disappointing in itself and doesn’t give a great first impression, especially to someone who is also a waitress.

That said, however, it is within spitting distance of the university and a great place to go for a coffee or a social drink after lectures or for lunch with your friends, particularly in summer when there is the opportunity to sit outside in the sun.

Both Kro and Kro2 offer a really good drinks selection (woo! ales!) and good food in a trendy atmos.

The prices aren't tooooooo bad considering the trendiness factor.

Both have cash machines right outside, which is a bonus.

The massive breakfasts (with fat sausages and black pudding) come with a massive mug of tea, which comes in handy the morning after a night out. However as the populace of this area comprises mostly students, you'll be hard-pushed to get a seat.

Basically, Kro Bar is probably one of the most respected bars on the whole of Oxford Road. The food is top notch (a bit more expensive than some places, however you pay for the quality) and the service is good. A bit of a mixture to the types that frequent this place. Yuppie business types at times, quirky fashion students, mature art post graduates and then groups of people taking a break from the library, yet it still pulls itself off as somewhere you can enjoy with your mates. You may also notice that regular nights with DJs are not too rare, with sometimes a bank holiday bbq with Fat City and Grand Central...Serves some great beers too. Try the strawberry beer when you're in!

Kro bar is a great stylish place to go. It seems loads of students go here in between lectures though it is enjoyably busy well into the night.

It's a good place for smokers as there is plenty of room outside the front with benches and powerful heaters. You can watch the world going by. It's also a good distance from the train station so somewhere good to go if you have to get the last train home.

It was a little expensive but I think thats good as it distances it from all the other dirty cheap student bars and makes it a bit more classy and young professionals like it as well.

Good toilets upstairs and a wide range of drink make this an excellent place for drinking!

This is the perfect stop off in between, or instead of, lectures, being oh so conveniently located opposite Manchester University's student union, though if you manage to bag one of the comfy sofas upstairs there's no guaranteeing you'll be able to get yourself off it in time for your next class.

Whether it's a wake up breakfast you're looking for, or a more substantial lunch, it can easily be found here. Later on, why not try out some of the foreign or flavoured beers they have to offer, or maybe a cocktail? Ruby Tuesdays are a must with deals on cocktails every, er, Tuesday.

While more pricey than student haunts such as the refectory or union, Kro is definately a cut above these places, and with the great views of Oxford Road from upstairs, you'll be able to enjoy the warmth while everyone else is out in the cold.

I've only been to Kro opposite the Student Union/Academy venues area a couple times but I recommend the wide selection of beers both bottled and draught. Popular student destination and interesting decor. Sometimes you'll find acoustic guitar gigs going on upstairs too.

Kro Bar is a great destination for post exam afternoon drinking in the summer. It has a really good range of drinks, including lots of nice real ales and european beers. The food is really great - some lovely scandinavian fish dishes. The only slight drawback is that on the whole it's pretty pricey, but still definitely worth a visit. It has a small garden out the back or you can sit on the patio and watch the students flowing past.