The Pen and Pencil

Name: The Pen and Pencil
Address: 57 Hilton Street, Manchester, United Kingdom, M1 2EJ
Telephone: 0161 660 3303
Price range: £25 and under
Rating: 4.1

4.1

846 Reviews

£25 and under

American

Make a booking

2 people

23 Nov 2024

7:00 pm

Booked 8 times today

Neighbourhood gem
Great for brunch
Good for groups

Sitting on the corner of Hilton and Tariff street in Manchester’s lively Northern Quarter, The Pen and Pencil takes its name and inspiration from the infamous mid-20th Century bar on East 45th Street in New York.

Open seven days a week from 10am until late, the restaurant and bar not only offers a variety of beverages including cocktails, beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks, but focuses on its strong day time offering with great breakfast, brunch and lunch options as well as quality coffee and freshly blended smoothies.

The Pencil and Pencil has an array of events throughout the month with a resident DJ to get the party started every weekend, a weekly quiz night on a Tuesday, and its sell-out Bottomless Brunches! It also offers a private room for corporate event and celebrations..

Unfortunately, we are unable o serve guests with Coeliacs due to the risk of cross contamination.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
£25 and under
Cuisines
American
Hours of Operation
Mon–Fri 10:00 am–9:00 pm Sat, Sun 10:00 am–5:00 pm
Phone number
0161 660 3303
Website
http://thepenandpencilnq.co.uk/
Payment Options
Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Private party facilities
The Pen & Pencil Manchester, situated on the corner of Hilton St and Tariff St in Manchester’s bustling Northern Quarter, features an 80 cover dining space across two rooms alongside an expansive bar, with a cocktail menu of the highest quality.

Location
57 Hilton Street, Manchester, M1 2EJ
Area
Manchester
Parking details
Spaces for on street parking. Multiple local parking lots within 1 minute walking distance.
Public transit
5 minutes walk from Manchester Piccadilly
Entertainment
Quiz night every Tuesday.DJs every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Halloumi & Hummus WrapGBP 11.00
Red pepper, hummus, spinach, hot chilli, roast peppers and onions, served with a side salad and house slaw
Cajun Grilled Chicken CiabattaGBP 12.00
Served with fried red onions & peppers, and our tequila & chilli slaw
P&P Slow-Cooked Beef ChilliGBP 12.00
Served with nachos, sour cream, guacamole & salsa
BBQ Pork RollGBP 12.50
Tender BBQ pork loin, pickles and pickled onions in a soft brioche roll with our tequila & chilli slaw
P&P Chicken ParmesanGBP 14.00
Butterfly chicken breast in a parmesan crumb, topped with marinara sauce & melted mozzarella, served with fries and a side salad
Steak FritesGBP 17.00
Chargrilled 8oz Sirloin cooked to your liking, served with mushroom, roasted tomatoes & fries
- Peppercorn SauceGBP 2.50
P&P BurgerGBP 14.50
Beef patty, cheddar, bacon, sliced tomato, shredded iceberg, red onion, dill pickle & our signature P&P burger sauce on a brioche bun
- Extra beef pattyGBP 4.00
- Buttermilk chickenGBP 4.00
Buttermilk Chicken BurgerGBP 14.50
Buttermilk chicken breast, smoky chipotle mayo, crisp lettuce & sliced tomatoes, on a brioche bun
- CheeseGBP 2.00
- BaconGBP 2.50
Nashville Hot Chicken BurgerGBP 15.00
Spicy buttermilk chicken breast, buffalo sauce, ranch & pickle, with a hash brown and spicy Cajun fries
French Onion BurgerGBP 15.00
Beef patty, parmesan crisp, French onion relish & mushroom, with a French onion gravy dip
Spanish Pork BurgerGBP 13.50
Chorizo & pork patty, manchego cheese & rocket, with relish
Vegan P&P BurgerGBP 14.50
Vegan patty, vegan cheese, sliced tomato, shredded iceberg, red onion, dill pickle, ketchup & mustard, on a vegan brioche bun
Vegan Cajun BurgerGBP 14.50
With shredded lettuce, creole mayo, shoestring potatoes, pickled red onions & avocado

Light Bites

FriesGBP 4.00
Tater TotsGBP 4.50
Beer-battered Onion RingsGBP 5.50
Chicken WingsGBP 6.50
Buffalo / maple bourbon / mango chipotle
Chicken TendersGBP 7.50
NachosGBP 7.50
With guacamole & salsa
- Add sour creamGBP 1.00
Loaded Tater TotsGBP 8.50
Cheese, chorizo, jalapeños & sour cream
Chilli Cheese FriesGBP 8.50
Beef chilli, cheese & sour cream

What 846 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.1

4.1 based on recent ratings

4Food
4.1Service
4.2Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

Manchester/Greater Manchester
Great for brunch
Manchester
Great for brunch
Manchester
Child-friendly
Manchester
Neighbourhood gem

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Pen and Pencil is a vibrant spot known for its "absolutely beautiful" breakfasts and "fantastic food." The staff are "very pleasant and attentive," creating a welcoming atmosphere. While the music adds to the lively ambiance, some find it too loud. Enjoy great "value for money" with special offers and a varied menu in a cool industrial setting.

846 Reviews

N
Nikki
Manchester
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Staff okay, ambience was fine but was constantly attacked by fruit flies. Food terrible - onion chutney might as well have just been cinnamon paste, and the veggie sausages were absolutely rank. Disappointed to say the least.
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G
Gail
Toronto
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on 26 October 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
We went in for brunch and the food was really good but the service was quite slow (it was a Saturday). We weren't in any rush so not an issue but it was difficult to grab anyone's attention as we were sat around the back of the bar.
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k
kay
Manchester
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on 25 October 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
My favourite bar. DJ was playing records. Good mix of tracks.
Is this helpful?
M
Martin
Manchester
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on 24 October 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
Food was very slow Pastrami was close to inedible, thick and fatty 1pm booking , sat down 105, drinks 115, took food order at 120/125, served at 210, quick lunch break from work so didn’t work A few of the team feel ill maybe from the deep fried food Manageress was very confrontational when we confirmed we needed to go prior to the food arriving Real shame as we did like going to this bar as the Guinness is good
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K
Kirsty
Essex
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on 20 October 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 5
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
The food was really good but we had to wait 45/50 minutes for it. We received 25% off our bill and some drinks were taken off for the wait time.
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l
laurie
Edinburgh
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on 19 October 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 5
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
the food was fabulous BUT it took almost an hour to come (despite being told 30 mins). when it did come, the orders were incorrect (e.g burrito says scrambled eggs, instead they were poached) and the waiter had misheard another one of the dishes. such a shame as the food and coffee was really lovely.
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L
Lydia
London
5 reviews
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on 6 October 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Staff were very friendly and we had a very warm welcome. Unfortunately service was slow and we were not advised of this and were left to wait for our food. Food was okay but not worth the wait. They can not cater for nut allergies. I appreciated the explanation from the manager but we had already been advised we could eat and then told we couldn’t. As we had already got our drinks and had a train to catch, we decided to stay and one of our party went without food.
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B
Becky
Cheshire
4 reviews
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on 5 October 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
Food was lovely but not worth the nearly an hour wait as it was only breakfast
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A
Anne
Manchester
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on 3 September 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Visited on Tuesday quiz night. Food excellent amd good atmosphere
Is this helpful?
P
Philip
Manchester
3 reviews
vip
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on 20 August 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
Service needs to speed up. Over an hour between ordering and food being delivered and its sandwiches. Slow on refills too maybe because we were sat in the back of the restaurant.
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FAQs

The Pen and Pencil is rated 4.1 stars by 846 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people

23 Nov 2024

7:00 pm

Booked 8 times today

57 Hilton Street, Manchester, M1 2EJ

Additional information

Area
Manchester
Hours of Operation
Mon–Fri 10:00 am–9:00 pm Sat, Sun 10:00 am–5:00 pm
Price
£25 and under
Cuisines
American
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Spaces for on street parking. Multiple local parking lots within 1 minute walking distance.
Public transit
5 minutes walk from Manchester Piccadilly
Payment Options
Mastercard, Visa
Entertainment
Quiz night every Tuesday.DJs every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://thepenandpencilnq.co.uk/
Phone number
0161 660 3303
Private party facilities
The Pen & Pencil Manchester, situated on the corner of Hilton St and Tariff St in Manchester’s bustling Northern Quarter, features an 80 cover dining space across two rooms alongside an expansive bar, with a cocktail menu of the highest quality.

The Pen and Pencil

Make a booking

Additional information

Menu

Uncategorised

Halloumi & Hummus WrapGBP 11.00

Cajun Grilled Chicken CiabattaGBP 12.00

P&P Slow-Cooked Beef ChilliGBP 12.00

BBQ Pork RollGBP 12.50

P&P Chicken ParmesanGBP 14.00

Steak FritesGBP 17.00

P&P BurgerGBP 14.50

Buttermilk Chicken BurgerGBP 14.50

Nashville Hot Chicken BurgerGBP 15.00

French Onion BurgerGBP 15.00

Spanish Pork BurgerGBP 13.50

Vegan P&P BurgerGBP 14.50

Vegan Cajun BurgerGBP 14.50

Light Bites

FriesGBP 4.00

Tater TotsGBP 4.50

Beer-battered Onion RingsGBP 5.50

Chicken WingsGBP 6.50

Chicken TendersGBP 7.50

NachosGBP 7.50

Loaded Tater TotsGBP 8.50

Chilli Cheese FriesGBP 8.50

What 846 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is The Pen and Pencil restaurant rated?

Is The Pen and Pencil currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Additional information