The Fitzgerald, Manchester

I was very excited to come here... and we (a group) ended up here on a quiet night, only a handful of others... which sadly highlighted the tiredness of the bar. ■Atmosphere is lovely, the busier it is, the better it is... However, it is quite depressing when quiet. ■Cleanliness is poor. Sticky tables. Toilets in bad state. Finger prints all over glass panes, streaky wipesover others (showing clearly no regular cleaning). ■Service, meh. Red haired bar woman was pleasant and friendly, and honestly so wonderful in her 'vibe' but was more interested talking to a friend at the bar rather than serving us. While some alcoholics may enjoy their drinks made with overwhelming amounts of hard alcohol... we certainly did not. Personally, my cocktail was missing part of it's mix, I saw the barwoman not pour it in, and handed it to me. However, I am assuming she made up with it with pouring in the extra booze. ■The cocktail menu is very weak. Average at best, other cocktail bars, including the now closed Sonata bar had a better and more inventive range. Overall, I am sure it's had its moments by the reviews, however I'm guessing the bar's heyday has gone, and is on a downward trajectory. I'd recommend if there was an act/event on, otherwise... don't bother.