Taurus

Nice bar restaurant in City Center Manchester Canal Street. Place is nice and you can relax with pint or grab something to eat. Food is good my chicken wings was tasty and tender and my main ribs sticky and spicy. If you are in canal street I can recommend this place and tagliatelle pasta with prawns and chorizo is amazing.

Surprise surprise as Cilla might say, well Blind Date (a very camp version) is what we stumbled into on this rainy Thursday November night. Free and fun it was a great evening. The surprise though was the food. The first time I’ve eaten in the reinvented Taurus. The menu looks like standard pub fare but the quality and flavours we’re surprisingly good. We had prawn and chorizo ‘lollipops’ with a great chilli sauce and a selection of mini burgers for starters which gave a gourmet burger experience before our mains of fish and chips (stunning fish) and a Caesar salad, again with great texture and flavour. What started off as an after work happy hour drink turned into a dinner and show and no great cost. Nice surprises are my favourite!

Nice décor — drinks are smaller and more expensive. No specials, there is happy hr 3 to 7pm and check Facebook and Twitter for Daily discounts. Burger was 5/​10, curry 4/​10, steak ⁷⁄₁₀. We left to have pudding elsewhere !

I’ve always been a huge lover of this place so when I heard it had had a make over and a change of management I was a bit dubious.
The place looks much better there’s no doubt about that, it’s cleaner and far more modern than the spit and sawdust kinda place it was before!
The menu is different but when you read it all of the meals were tempting options. Unfortunately though there is room for improvement on quality.
I had steak which appears to be a cheap cut and although I asked for it medium rare is was more medium to well done. Another of our party ordered the chicken dish which was served on a cold dish with a cold egg.
The wine was great but the service needs improving too… Staff were hounding us for drinks as soon as we’d sat down but then we waited over 45 minutes for our starters.
We raised our concerns to the staff who used a large party as an excuse of the poor service, come on Taurus you should be able to run a full and proper service!
Luckily the manager was great, very apologetic and explained that they were struggling to find a decent chef with so many new restaurants opening in Manchester. He discounted our meals and asked us to go back again to give them a second chance.
We probably will return because it’s a local haunt of ours but I’m hoping that they do improve because the gay village needs good quality bars and restaurants to keep the right kind of clientele!

So I have been here many many times before. Since it opened actually. I am a village veteran after all.
So this was date night or should I say date afternoon for me and my man pet. We decided to go as my mate did the light refurb. I must say the lights are bloody awful! Dim. Wonky. Bulbs missing. Ha ha ha. I’m just kidding. He did a great job. Really stylish.
It has that local London kitchen chic meets Cool and trendy Shoreditch house feel to it. Although the customers could not be further from that London lot. It was bloody bear weekend.
For those Unilocalers who are wondering if it’s a day out for Chester Zoo residents. No. I mean the furry hairy men. Lol. Slightly out of our comfort zone and stuck out like a flat shoe heel in Sarah Jessica Parkers closest but who cares. I’m all for equality.
The food menu is new. The staff are new. The management seem new. The toilets are even new which is always a good measure of a refurb.
It’s still a moderately priced venue. The seating looks like you could need a massage after but don’t be put off they were very comfy.
We had Sunday lunch that was lovely and an odd started dog haddock and chorizo lollipops. I’m not explaining you go and see for yourself.
The wine menu is great although wish the wine was all done by the glass but actually probably cheaper and more cost effective to get a bottle. If I drank wine that is.
I would Defo go back there. With my older pal next time. I think he would like the venue it Every way

Taurus is primarily a restaurant, though many people do use it as just a bar. Dropped in on a Saturday afternoon with some friends as some wanted a bite to eat and some didn’t. You can get 3 starters for £10 so my friends decided to do that and share them. The food was delicious and fresh. Great service too, everyone is super friendly and helpful.

The universal truth: the food and the décor are really good at gay restaurants. This place is no exception to that. I ordered a steak and it was beyond my expectations. So good.

I love Taurus on Canal Street– its one of my favourite bars in the Gay village to be honest, its laid back has a nice lounge feel to it and has exceptionally friendly staff, its not the most modern of looking places but it attracts a great friendly crowd at all times, theres nice comfy sofas and table and chairs scattered around so theres always somewhere to sit and chill, Taurus is also a restaurant but I’ve never eaten here but when the food was coming out it looked great, the restaurant is raised up a little at the front overlooking Canal Street through the huge windows.
They also have a great happy hour from 4pm-​7pm which includes pints of Amstel which is one of my fave beers at £2.95, House wine at £8.50 and cocktails at £4.50, you can either go up to the bar or they will come and serve you which is a nice touch.
They also have loads of tables and chairs outside for those summery months. They also seem to do events from time to time in a little theatre in the basement for the Manchester Fringe which always look fun but never been to any.
The great thing is though that it has a feel of a community to it and thats why i love Taurus. plus its on the better end of Canal Street than the other.

Via Fossa have cheaper cocktails, although Taurus have better food.

Freundlich, Essen lecker, direkt an der Canal Street, zu empfehlen

This is one of the few bars on Canal Street with comfy couches and non-​intrusive music, and it doesn’t have the pretentiousness of the majority of other bars on this street. You can bring your gal pals (of any gender) anytime. They’ve got a (catered) pub quiz the last Sunday of the month at 7, which is MC’d by a lovely gentleman usually glimpsed in varying states of inebriation (I don’t think he would argue with this description.)

I give this venue a mid-​level rating, as I had a mixed experience. Our first server was uninterested in smiling or doing anything other than taking our order. The server that brought us our drinks was the complete opposite. Friendly and funny!
They do have a good happy hour deal of £3.95 for cocktails, but the décor is VERY red, and has a bit of a feel of a décor inspired by a discount store.

I can’t recommend Taurus too highly, it was the first place I went to when I first visited the Village and it has become my favourite place there. I go there every time I visit and have never had a bad time. My best friend Carrie and I are always welcomed with a friendly greeting from the bar staff and a lot of the regulars.
The food is lovely as is the atmosphere and as a lot of people have already said, if you smoke you can go outside and sit in the sun…

Taurus is situated in the gay village in Manchester and is probably the friendliest place on Canal Street. I went there last week with my partner and a friend who was visiting from Ireland. We settled for the Sunday lunch. It was lovely — the main course was confit of duck leg. I’d not eaten here for a while and I can honestly say that the food has really improved. The service is always great in here — the waiters and owners are real charecters who always make everybody welcome.

Taurus is lovely. End of.
The food is absolutely gorgeous and the menu is extensive. The fish and chips and rump steak both come highly recommended. Side orders are a little pricey (£3.00 for some garden peas) but aren’t really necessary as the portions are fairly generous. The range of starters is also great, and relatively cheap.
Taurus has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and there aren’t too many tables crammed in together (a pet hate of mine). Drinks wise the cocktails never disappoint and the choice of wines is also good. There are also happy hour offers most days. Who doesn’t love a happy hour!

I first discovered Taurus seven years ago, back when my new city centre address placed me within exactly six minutes walking distance of this little gem. It is a testament to it’s personality that this place has remained a treasured constant by myself and many others throughout the years. The name is still the same, as is the friendly atmosphere that truly provides a haven from the vibrant madding crowd on Canal Street.
You will find a cleverly inventive, yet filling and heart-​warmingly sumptuous menu to choose from Including specials. Served from 12 Midday to 10pm by friendly, well-​selected staff, the setting can certainly provide clandestine intimacy for couples or that warm home-​from-​home feel for groups of friends! Expect to pay from £7 — £15 for a main and drinks are around the £3 mark for spirit.
Especially interesting is the display of ever changing artwork, you could say the selections are unique to Canal Street… and for me can be highly entertaining, most definitely different and a refreshing change from the terribly boring and dull generic canvasses that hang in the chains. With this supplied as an added bonus, you will fail to be lost for conversation.
What never ceases to amaze me about this place is its ability to suit different occasions while staying true to its chilled space and the external colourful world that is Canal Street. I have thoughtfully chosen this bar and restaurant as a venue for many outings over the years, from introducing family and friends to the city, a birthday treat meal for a loved friend, a business lunch I arranged for a local media group, many many nights out with the gang and more recently the chosen venue for a first date (needless to say, it’s all going extremely well!). All occasions have left me with very fond memories and a sense of this special place becoming an old friend!

I wanna take you a gay bar!
More specifically I’d like to take you to Taurus.
Relaxed, informal, friendly, arty, mulit-​award winning– one of my favourites along canal street.
Always busy but never too packed, this is great place to unwind rather than wind up. It has a real loft apartment feel to it, choosing warm woods and gentle lighting over the usual steel, glass and migraine inducing «mood» lighting favoured by most places these days.

I love Taurus and whenever I’m in Manchester this is always on my list of places to visit. Situated at the top of Canal Street this is the ideal meeting place either day or night.
During the day and early evening they serve a really good range of reasonably priced food. Try one of their sharing platters — dim sum or seafood, gorgeous. And when I am in the mood for meat their steak sandwich is just the ticket.
You can sit outside if the weather permits, great for those of us who still smoke. And once evening hits taurus is a great little bar. Every time I’ve been served in there the staff have been incredibly pleasant and friendly.
There is even a small function room downstairs that can be hired — and again service for that is fantastic. If you want the vibe of Canal Street without some of the chaos then add Taurus to your list

Good friendly service, reasonable prices and excellent food.
If you are looking for something a little special and Gay friendly (I know most places are but you try holding hands over the table in Brewers Fayre and see how many people stare) then you could do better than visiting Taurus.
The meal was fantastic there was lots to choose from and I got the feeling from looking around the restaurant that no matter what we have ordered it would have been nice.
We did not feel rushed to eat and go which has become very popular lately.
Give it a go!

I popped down to Taurus last week for lunch and I’ve not stopped and drooled over everything that came out of a kitchen in a long time! I never saw anything that didn’t look or smell amazing. The prices were great and the service was good and never intrusive.
I only had the duck wrap and a side of chips but they automatically brought the little dishes of sauce and mayo without having to ask (and then re-​ask as it’s normally forgotton!) and it was delicious. Their orange cheesecake (although I doubt made on the premises) was lovely and again they brought the cream without it being asked foror charged for!
I can’t wait to head back there for a full 3 course dinner.

It gives me much sadness to inform the Unilocal community of Manchester that this amazing establishment has had to close due to unforeseen circumstances.
Personally I’ve had many a good experience here and it’s a shame that these fab places have to suffer when the pound pop bars of the gay village stay open due to the cheap booze.
The food and dining experience here was always top notch. The staff where welcoming and very friendly.
Hopefully this is not a sign of things to come within Manchester Gay Village.