Review: Hawksmoor Manchester

Confident and friendly service, full-flavoured steaks and glamorous art-deco inspired surroundings: Hawksmoor Manchester is the epitome of a Great British steak house.

Leading on from successful ventures in Spitalfields, the City, Knightsbridge and Seven Dials, Hawksmoor Manchester is the high-end chain's first eatery outside of London.

Housed in a former courthouse, the up-market restaurant channels the glamour of the 1920s with its wood-clad walls, elegant low lighting and classic leather seating. 

The restaurant is divided into several sections and includes an intimate bar area as well as three spacious dining rooms, one of which is for private parties.

Don't be fooled though, Hawksmoor isn't all style and no substance. The menu more than lives up to the restaurant's trendy surroundings.

A single side of A4 covers the venue's no nonsense selection of seafood, steaks and sides, but it's minimalist approach doesn't make it any easier to decide which dish to choose. 

Having toyed with the idea of the Roast Scallops, and the Spring Salad with Graceburn Cheese, we settled upon significantly meatier options. I chose the Ginger Pig Belly Ribs, while my guest opted for the Potted Beef & Bacon with Yorkshires - both of which were exceptional. 

The Ginger Pig Belly Ribs were simply divine, and acted as the perfect pre-dinner snack. Served in a tangy ginger glaze, the ribs were lip-smackingly meaty, and provided bags of flavour and succulence - I couldn't wipe the smile of my face. 

The Potted Beef was an equally enjoyable choice. Two homemade puds proudly stood alongside a click-and-seal jar of prime shredded beef and a boat of thick, rich gravy. Every element of the dish was on point and seamlessly worked together to create a hearty plate of British comfort food. 

The steaks - described on Hawksmoor’s website as “dictionary-thick”, certainly lived up to their reputation, while the triple-cooked chips were even crunchier and fluffier than we could have hoped for. 

Our choice of meat was The Chateaubriand - a large steak cut from the thickest part of the beef fillet. The medium-cooked flesh was absolute perfection, it was thick, flavoursome and juicy - and so tender, that there was hardly any need to chew at all. 

The Hawksmoor Burger looked great – it was well presented, incredibly juicy, and the bun was fresh and lightly toasted. The patty was a dusty pink, with moist meat within, exactly as ordered. 

Guiding us through our experience was our waiter, Barney. Barney was an absolute delight, he was friendly, knowledgable and polite, with a real passion for steak. Like most of the waiters at Hawksmoor, Barney was unafraid to drop down to table level and chat to us face to face, describing the various cuts of meat, recommending dishes and answering our questions. He even offered to bag up our leftovers!

As you can imagine, first-rate service and world-class food doesn't come cheap. But at Hawksmoor you certainly get what you pay for. The restaurant's quality cuts of meats, generous portions, sleek service and stylish surroundings make it the perfect setting for special occasions or an indulgent treat.