El Gato Negro Tapas Manchester

Featured reviews

• J

  Joseph Collea

  ·1 month ago

  “From the second you walk in and see the plates around the various tables you know it’s going to be good - and it was. The foods were the stand outs: meatballs, prawns, anchovies, capped with octopus; but the cocktails were phenomenal as well. I sat at the bar and the bartenders were excellent: great conversation, asking what I like and don’t like (which isn’t much when it comes to Spanish food), and just overall ensuring I had an amazing experience. This is a must visit when in Manchester. Make a reservation to secure your spot!”

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• J

  Jacky T

  ·1 month ago

  “Dining at El Gato Negro felt like stepping into a lively corner of Spain hidden in the heart of Manchester. From the moment we arrived, the restaurant had a warm and welcoming energy. The stylish interior, intimate lighting and vibrant atmosphere created the perfect setting for sharing delicious food and enjoying a memorable evening together. One of the restaurant’s loveliest features is its rooftop seating area. It has a relaxed, charming atmosphere and is a wonderful place to enjoy tapas and drinks above the busy city streets. On a pleasant evening, it feels like a secret Mediterranean escape and makes the whole dining experience even more special. Every dish we ordered was beautifully presented, thoughtfully prepared and full of flavour. The ingredients tasted fresh, the combinations were creative and the textures were carefully balanced. Each plate had its own personality, yet everything came together as one complete and satisfying meal. The beef short ribs were undoubtedly the highlight. They arrived looking rich, glossy and deeply inviting. The meat was extraordinarily tender—so soft that it almost fell apart at the touch of a fork. There was no toughness at all, only a silky, melt-in-the-mouth texture that made every bite feel luxurious. The flavour of the short ribs was deep, comforting and beautifully developed. The sauce complemented the beef perfectly, adding richness without overpowering the meat. It was savoury, slightly sweet and wonderfully balanced. This was one of those rare dishes that made everyone pause for a moment simply to appreciate it. Tender, smooth and absolutely delightful, it remained in my thoughts long after the plate had been cleared. The octopus was equally impressive. Octopus can be difficult to prepare perfectly, but the kitchen handled it with remarkable skill. It was amazingly soft, tender and juicy, without any rubbery or chewy texture. The potatoes, herbs and colourful accompaniments brought freshness and balance, while the presentation looked like a small Mediterranean landscape. It was rustic, artistic and generous. The other seafood dishes continued the same excellent standard. The fried seafood was golden, light and crisp without being greasy, while the prawns were plump, juicy and served in a rich, aromatic sauce. Using the accompanying bread to absorb every last drop was one of the simplest yet most satisfying moments of the meal. Even the seasoned olives were fragrant and memorable. What impressed me most was the consistency. When ordering many dishes, there is often one plate that does not quite match the others, but every dish here maintained an exceptionally high standard. Nothing disappointed. The service made the evening even better. The team was energetic, attentive and genuinely welcoming. They were available whenever we needed them without interrupting our conversations or making us feel rushed. Their positive energy brought life to the restaurant, while their warmth made us feel comfortable and well looked after throughout the evening. El Gato Negro understands that tapas is not simply food served on small plates. It is about sharing, discovering flavours and enjoying good company. From the beautiful rooftop seating and vibrant atmosphere to the outstanding food and comforting service, this was a fantastic experience from beginning to end. I would happily recommend El Gato Negro to anyone looking for exceptional tapas in Manchester. I will certainly return—and the unforgettable short ribs will be the first dish I order again.”

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• R

  roy meesschaert

  ·3 months ago

  “Would definitely recommend! I had the padron peppers, olives, jamon croquetas, gambas pil pil and the manchego and chorizo tortilla. I finished my meal with the Basque cheesecake. All the dishes were tasty and flavourful. I had a seat at the bar where I could see the chefs preparing my food which was also nice.”

• V

  Vivian Anne

  ·3 months ago

  “I had dinner with El Gato Negro with a party of 9 and the meal and service were wonderful. The restaurant was kind enough to let us order a la carte instead of doing a set menu with our large group. Our server, Jolly (I'm 90% sure that was his name) was so friendly and attentive even with our large group. They recommend 2-3 dishes per person so we ordered two of the following dishes and that ended up being enough for our group. Catalan bread with serano ham - a nice starter Salt cod croquetas - also a nice starter Octopus - this was one of my favorites dishes, octopus was tender and the sauces were so good Monk fish skewers - least favorite dish, the fish was too salty for me Pisto with goat cheese - veggies were good and goat cheese on top was a little caramelized Tortilla - we were able to order one runny and one well done, good tortilla Patatas bravas - simple but good Tenderstem broccoli - simple but good Meatballs - thought these were ok Beef short rib - this was one of my favorite dishes, the short ribs fell off the bone Lamb skewers - this was one of the specials and also a favorite, the lamb was so tender Everyone ordered their own desserts and I got the torrija which I enjoyed. The bread was very custardy and I like the cinnamon sugar topping. Overall, I would highly recommend having a meal at El Gato Negro. The food and service were great.”

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• B

  Blair R

  ·3 months ago

  “Everyone was so friendly and our waitress was so helpful when we asked for advice on the food. We sat on the upper floor by the retractable roof terrace, which was lovely. Would recommend the beef short rib and the harissa chicken. We will definitely come back for me.”

• P

  Pritha Razad

  ·3 months ago

  “Had an early dinner at El Gato Negro during my visit to Manchester and really enjoyed the overall experience. The restaurant has a beautiful setting with a warm, stylish atmosphere, making it a lovely place to relax over a meal. The service was friendly, attentive, and made us feel very welcome. The food was good overall and I enjoyed most of the dishes we ordered. The only one that wasn’t quite for me was the chorizo, which I found a little too salty. Aside from that, everything was well prepared, and I’d happily come back to try more of the menu.”

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• A

  Anonymous

  ·3 months ago

  “Had a booking here, wasn't quite sure where to wait for my table - staff weren't too welcoming I'm afraid. They do tell you that the portions are small - I was actually relatively full from eating a main and a side. They have a lot of barstool type seating, which I found extremely uncomfortable. I also thought it was a touch too warm inside on a summer evening, but that might just be me. I found the food to be average, nothing special. There would have been 12.5% service charge, but I asked to have it removed - the waiter did not point it out to me, which I think should be standard, especially in an upscale place! It wasn't a terrible experience, but definitely a letdown for me given the prices.”

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• T

  T.L

  ·3 months ago

  “Was told last minute by another restaurant that we weren’t allowed to bring a cake in but thankfully this restaurant was kind enough to accommodate us. The staff were really friendly and gave great recommendations in terms of what to order. We initially thought that the tapas would not be filling enough but thankfully the waiter advised us that our order was a bit too much. The food ended up being quite filling and was very delicious especially the croquetas. We had an amazing experience here and I definitely would go back. Thank you to this place for making my birthday celebration special :)”

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• J

  Jonathon Mcluskie

  ·3 months ago

  “Food was brilliant, decor and atmosphere inside the restaurant was really nice, warming and relaxed was seated on the 3rd floor and was nice to be able to look out on king St the octopus was the highlight of the meal and the cocktails offered were very tasty.”

• C

  Chun Ho Cheng

  ·4 months ago

  “Overall 4.5/5. Delicious food and atmosphere. Small plates but packed with flavours. Highly recommend the Bikini with jamon serrano and the dessert torrija especially. Slight above average price range. Its a great place for special occasions.”