Food & Drink

Manchester’s most legendary Irish pub Mulligans reveals major makeover

It's literally Dublin' in size... geddit...

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 29th August 2024

Renowned Irish boozer Mulligans of Deansgate has opened the doors to its new and improved pub – and they’re pouring free Guinness to celebrate.

The iconic pub has expanded in a big way, opening up a second floor that will more than double its capacity.

That also means ‘more fun, more craic, more music, and of course, more of our exceptional Guinness’.

Inside, the ground floor remains the same well-loved pub it’s been for decades, all brick walls and alcohol-branded mirrors and low wooden bar stools.

And as for the brand-new upstairs, you’re looking at a split-level space filled with timber-beamed vaulted ceilings, a live music stage on a mezzanine level, and plenty of seating areas to choose from.

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It’s an entirely different feeling than the tight-knit spaces Mulligans fans are so familiar with, as well as options for private functions and even table service via a new QR code from the shiny new bar.

To celebrate the launch of the new upstairs this weekend, the first 250 guests through the door on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will receive exclusive Mulligans merchandise – and a complimentary pint of ‘the best Guinness outside of Ireland’, of course.

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Mulligans has revealed its new look with an extra floor now open. Credit: The Manc Group
Mulligans has revealed its new look with an extra floor now open. Credit: The Manc Group
Mulligans has revealed its new look with an extra floor now open. Credit: The Manc Group
Mulligans has revealed its new look with an extra floor now open. Credit: The Manc Group

Mulligans has long-been comfortably one of if not the busiest bar in Manchester city centre most weekends, and is an iconic part of the Manc drinking scene and stronghold for Irish folk, sports fans, fans of live music and more.

If there’s one thing you could ever count against the ever-popular pub it’s that the place is so packed out on any given day of the week that it can sometimes be a bit of a queue to get to the bar, so the news that they’re increasing the square footage to squeeze in more punters is music to ears.

There are few things that we love the sound of more than an even fuller pub sinking pints of the very best Guinness in Manchester and dancing along to classic Irish reels.

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Mulligans has revealed its new look with an extra floor now open. Credit: The Manc Group
Mulligans has revealed its new look with an extra floor now open. Credit: The Manc Group
Mulligans has revealed its new look with an extra floor now open. Credit: The Manc Group
Mulligans has revealed its new look with an extra floor now open. Credit: The Manc Group

Staggering opening times of the new area over the launch weekend, the new upstairs will be open from 5pm till late on Friday’s grand opening, 2pm to the early hours the following Saturday and from noon until late on Sunday. The regular 11pm-12am times will resume the following week.

Speaking on the announcement, owner Pádraig Brady said: “We are super excited to unveil our new upstairs space at Mulligans.

“This expansion not only allows us to host more guests but also provides an even more dynamic environment with additional live music and new premium services and spaces which will be available for hire. We look forward to our customers experiencing this new venue.”

Mulligans grand opening takes place on Friday 30 August and you better get in line early doors if you want a free glass of the black gold.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Supplied

Food & Drink

A big US fast food chain said to be ‘much better’ than McDonald’s is coming to the UK

Danny Jones Danny Jones Carl's Jr. coming to the UK 100 locations Manchester

Fast food fans, feel free to get excited and potentially add another name to your rankings because a big US burger-driven brand hailed by many as ‘better’ than McDonald’s is coming to the UK. The rumours are true: Greater Manchester could very soon get a Carl’s Jr.

Carl’s Jr. is an American chain best known for chicken sandwiches and its trademark ‘charbroiled’ beef patties such as menu favourites like the ‘Famous Star’. You can even get star-shaped chicken nuggets.

First opening back in 1941, it’s very nearly as old as Maccies itself and although its profile is much smaller than that of the iconic golden arches, there are many who still firmly believe that it serves a superior product than the global conglomerate.

Well, hopefully soon you’ll be able to decide for yourselves as Carl’s Jr. is set to face off with McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, Popeyes and all the other franchises that have made their way across the Atlantic over the last half a century or so – and it’s coming to Wales first.

In an announcement made via Restaurant Online, Carl’s Jr.’s country manager under parent company BRG (Boparan Restaurant Group), David Moffat said: “We’re looking at a steady rollout with a target of 100 restaurants plus in four years.

“We’ll open a number of corporate stores that we’ll retain as we go along and we’ll also be going into the sub-franchise market, which we hope to begin actioning towards the end of the year. We’ve had a lot of interest from big group franchisees already.”

Named after founder Carl N. Karcher, who set up the very first iteration of Carl’s Jr. after moving from his hometown of Ohio to California and purchasing a hot dog cart for $326, the brand then opened as a drive-in BBQ in January 1945 before opening its first real restaurants in 1956.

Although both he and his wife Margaret have long since passed away, there is a huge family lineage that has carried on the name and it’s only gotten bigger with each decade that’s passed.

So what separates it from its biggest and most dominant competition? Well, not only do lots of American diners swear by their charbroiled burger recipes over McDonald’s big a part of the Carl’s Jr.s over Maccies campaign front is said to come down to the chips – especially as they also do waffle fries.

Put simply by one user on X just last month, he believes “Carl’s Jr is the best fast food burger”. Current day Carl’s in the States now boasts everything from the classic burger and chicken to sandwiches, milkshakes, sides and desserts to a sizeable breakfast menu.

However, Moffat clarified that “the UK will probably have the smallest menu outside the US, which will be focused on the core products: burgers, chicken and fries. You’ve got to look at it culturally and in a way that ensures the brand has a broad, diverse appeal.”

For context, as well as five sites in Europe, there are locations in: Australia, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Russia, Singapore and Vietnam.

Judging by the endless expansion, Carl’s Jr. was always going to come to the UK, it was just a matter of when. This move was actually confirmed back in May 2024, when they reached a master license agreement with BRG to bring the brand to Britain, as well as the Republic and Northern Ireland.

carl's jr.s burgers
big mac
They have 1,600 restaurants in 25+ countries around the world to Maccies’ 41,800. Choose your fighter… (Credit: Carl’s Jr./McDonald’s)

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The first UK Carl’s Jr. restaurant in Cardiff is set to open in the St David’s shopping centre in April and a second site is due to launch somewhere in the south – you would presume London but who knows? – in time for the summer.

With that in mind, and given Manchester is the second city after London as well all know (sorry, Birmingham, we’ll die on this hill), you can expect at least one of the 100+ Carl’s Jr. locations to pop up somewhere in 0161.

However, before we get ahead of ourselves, we want to know if any of you have tried the chain before and do you agree that it’s ‘better’ than Maccies?

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Aditya Oberai (via Wikimedia Commons)/Ernesto Andrade/Willis Lam (via Flickr)

Food & Drink

If you can’t get in Mulligans on St. Patrick’s Day, Albert’s Schloss might be the next best spot in town

Danny Jones Danny Jones St Patricks Days events Manchester city centre

St. Patrick’s Day in Manchester is biblical, no doubt about it, but getting in amongst the mile-long queue is another question entirely – so it’s a good job Albert’s Schloss is offering a grand auld alternative.

Arguably one of the best, biggest and admittedly busiest bars in all of Manchester city centre (for good reason), Albert’s Schloss on Paddy’s Day is becoming an increasingly popular annual event, with not just hundreds but literal thousands filing in and out of the beloved Germanic beer hall over the 24 hours.

Having spent St. Patrick’s evening here on more than one occasion, we can certainly vouch for the vibes as the night rolls into the early hours, but they’re offering food, booze, entertainment and more all day long on what many refer to as the holy day.

And by many we mean us. It’s our holy day.

St. Patrick’s Day Manchester is always a belter, but this has to be one of our favourite venues for it (Credit: Supplied via Albert’s Schloss)

For starters, what do Bavarians and Irish have in common? A love of great beer, good craic and party vibes. With that in mind, this St. Patrick’s Day, Albert’s Schloss is painting the town green with a two-week celebration of all things Irish.

Kicking things off from this week – Wednesday, 5-Monday, 17 March – expect rivers of Guinness, plenty of Jameson whiskey, even more epic feasting, live music and even the chance to test your luck with some Paddy’s Day surprises, Albert’s Schloss is about to party hard enough to make St. Patrick proud.

During this special two weeks and this period alone, Schloss will be pouring pint after pint as well as Guinness-inspired specials and food flavoured with black gold, plus promising plenty more.

From pints of the ‘Baby Guinness‘ shots to rich and hearty dishes like beef and Guinness pie, or indulgent sweet treats such as the Guinny and ginger sticky toffee pudding, they’re going to be ramming everyone’s favourite drink down people’s throats and we’ll be there with mouths wide open.

We’re literally drooling at the thought of it.

Better yet, on the Sunday and Monday of St. Patrick’s Day weekend (16-17 March), guests can roll the dice to win an array of exclusive prizes, from free drinks and desserts to Jameson merch or even a fully comped bill worth up to £100. Yes, you heard that right.

On the Sunday, the Schloss team will be handing out 150 Jameson and limes drinks on trays across the venue early in the evening, “to get the party shamrockin’.”

And of course, no Schloss party is complete without top-tier entertainment. Get ready for live bands, folky Irish tunes, a ‘Sunday Service’ with a St. Paddy’s twist; walkabout performers, Vegas-green showgirls for a sprinkling of burlesque, as well an interactive game show host to keep the energy high.

Put it this way, we always have an absolute riot in here…

@the.manc Every Tuesday to Friday, so same again tonight anyone? #manchester #albertschloss ♬ original sound – The Manc

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Take it from the beloved Manc bar themselves: “With fire-lit revelry, Bavarian feasting, and plenty of Irish spirit, Albert’s Schloss is the place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.” 

Walk-ins will of course be welcome as they always are but if you want to try and beat the crowd and secure a table to dance on – well, you can dance on the benches but you catch our drift – you can book your place HERE.

It’s fair to say that the Irish boom across Greater Manchester is well and truly in full swing, with more and more venues popping up all over the place, and long may it continue.

For instance, as well as a new replacement for the legendary Thirsty Scholar pub, there’s an entirely new name coming to 0161 very soon:

Lively Irish pub Nancy Spains set to open in Manchester for the first time
They’re popping up absolutely everywhere.

Featured Images — Albert’s Schloss (supplied)/The Manc Group

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