Pubs and Bars / Reviews
Manos
When Hermanos closed at the beginning of this year, they promised that they would be back.
Long a popular evening haunt, it came as a surprise to many when their original home on the Clifton Triangle shut its doors.
But good to their word, they have returned in new premises on the other side of the Triangle next to Mbargo nightclub.
They have also returned with a new moniker: Manos – what most people knew the original as anyway thanks to a quirk of typography in the signage.
So from ‘brothers’ to ‘hands’, and you’ve got to hand it to Manos for creating one of those venues that despite the smell of paint still lingering when I visited on a Monday night already has that been-here-forever feel.
Reclaimers are certainly a profitable business these days and must have been rubbing their hands with glee when they saw what Manos had in store.
Racing green tiles with intricate floral decoration make up the lower portion of the bar with the wall opposite featuring wood panelling on the bottom half and above a huge mirror surrounded by a sturdy wooden frame which a helpful arrow explains is actually timber from the original Suspension Bridge boardwalk.
Downstairs can be found many familiar items from the Hermanos era, including tables, chairs and even the DJ booth. Upstairs, a second smaller bar is more traditional in style.
On the outside of the building, a hand-written sign explains what Manos is all about: “Purveyors of the finest liquors and good times.”
Cocktails here come long, straight-up, short and sparkling. The one drink on draft is Pilsner Urquart, with plenty more bottled beers on display.
And of course those liquors, with this month’s pick Hibiki, a 17-month-old blended whiskey from Japan – and there are plenty more where that came from thanks to one of the best-stocked bars in the city.
It’s a welcome return for Manos. Give them a hand.
Manos, 37 Triangle West, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1ER
0117 926 6255
Photos by Joseph Pymar
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