Hawksmoor Manchester: The best steakhouse in the city, and the best express lunch
"The best steakhouse in Manchester. Not cheap, but the kind of meal that justifies itself if you book the right time."
At a glance
- Address
- 184-186 Deansgate, M3 3WB
- Neighbourhood
- Deansgate
- Website
- thehawksmoor.com
- Best for
- Special occasionsDate nightBusiness lunchMeat lovers
The good
- +Genuinely excellent steak (dry-aged native breed beef)
- +The express lunch menu (£28 for two courses) is one of the best deals in central Manchester
- +Cocktails as good as anywhere in the city
- +Service has the calm professionalism Hawksmoor is known for
- +Beautiful room in a Grade II listed former Cooperative bank
The caveats
- −Steaks à la carte get very expensive very quickly
- −Not the place if you don't eat meat
- −Books up, especially weekends
On this page(3)
Hawksmoor is the rare chain restaurant that doesn't feel like one. The Manchester branch sits in a Grade II listed former Cooperative bank on Deansgate, all dark wood and brass and proper white-cloth service, and has been the city's best steakhouse since it opened.
The Room
Hawksmoor Manchester is housed inside a Grade II listed former Cooperative bank on Deansgate, and the building does most of the heavy lifting on atmosphere. The dining room is split across multiple levels of the original banking hall, with dark wood panelling, brass fittings, soft leather banquettes, and the kind of low warm lighting that makes every table feel like a private corner. There is a separate cocktail bar at the front of the building (worth visiting on its own, even if you're not eating) and a more intimate booth area towards the back.
The crowd is what you'd expect at a serious Manchester steakhouse: business lunches, special occasion dinners, the occasional famous face, and a steady stream of out-of-towners who have heard the chain is worth a visit. The service is calmly professional throughout. Nobody rushes you.
The Food
Hawksmoor's reputation is built on dry-aged native breed British beef, sourced from a small group of farms and aged in-house. The steaks are sold by weight (you choose your cut, the team brings it to the table for inspection before cooking) and arrive cooked exactly as you ordered. The bone-in ribeye and the porterhouse are the two cuts most steak obsessives go for. The fillet is brilliant for those who prefer leaner meat.
The menu beyond the steaks is also strong, which is unusual for a steakhouse. The lobster mac and cheese is outrageous. The roasted scallops with white port and garlic are the best starter on the menu. The triple-cooked chips are textbook. Sunday lunch (when offered) is one of the great Manchester roasts. And the £28 express lunch menu is the best value on the menu by a mile: two courses including a steak option in 30 minutes, ideal for a business lunch or a treat that doesn't need to break the bank.
The cocktail programme is among the best in the city. The Bramble (gin, lemon, sugar, crème de mûre) is the Hawksmoor signature and is poured perfectly here. The wine list is deep, expensive, and thoughtful, with strong selections from Bordeaux, Burgundy, and the New World classics that match the food.
The Practicalities
Bookings essential, particularly for evenings and weekends. Express lunch is the best-value way to experience the restaurant if you can get in between noon and 2:30pm on a weekday. Dress code is officially smart casual but most people lean into it for dinner. Service is polished and unhurried. Card payment, tip discretionary. The location is on Deansgate, walking distance from St Peter's Square Metrolink and Manchester Oxford Road station. Allow two hours for dinner. Save it for an occasion you actually want to mark.