More upmarket joint

[whiteroses]

These have both been mentioned before, but definitely the Wig and Pen and the Old House.

Also try The Great Gatsby on Division St, on the same side as the Old House but closer to town. Their cocktails are great, though maybe it's one to start the night at as the music can get loud later on.

[Lady Star]

WARNING - Menzels is NOT GOOD at all.

 

It's nowhere near being even "pretty good".

 

It used to be good, when old Michael Menzel had it - and he had those beautiful pastel murals on the walls inside and sold really top quality wines - and even the quaffing stuff was excellent. It used to attract a very upmarket crowd and was a place to be seen for Sheffield's elite.

 

I went in a few weeks ago with my other half and boy were we disappointed. It was shabby and run down inside - the choice of drinks was poor (compared to what it used to be) but the thing that spoiled it most of all was the clientele.

 

Full of riff-raff - Sheffield Chavs. And you had to fight your way through plumes of cigarette smoke to get in as all these dossers are fagging it outside at the door.

 

If you never went to Menzels before then it's probably no better or worse than a load of other places in Sheff. But if you lament the loss of another upmarket establishment then don't go - it'll upset you.

 

I honestly can't think of a nice upmarket kind of club place. I think the Bar & Grill in Leopold Square is reasonable and seems to attract a decent clientele - but it's not really a club. However, there's a nice bar area and they do great cocktails and nice food. Other than that... in town? I'm struggling.

 

I'd head out into Derbyshire and go a bit more upmarket or rustic. Or if you want that big city vibe, with great atmosphere, trendy bar, pretty people, try "Tiger Tiger" in Manchester.

 

I was with you til bar and grill - that place is no better than the other bars in Leopold Sq, as the food and service are scary hit and miss (see trip advisor) and the one time I went it was so awful we had to leave before everyone we were with had eaten, as obvious we wouldn't get what we had ordered, and from a group of 7 only three got anything at all! Not a good place... Tiger Tiger in Manchester I haven't been to, but the Croydon one wasn't disimilar to Brannigans - the grab a granny place that used to be at centretainment! Looking at the queue waiting to get into Tiger Tiger in Manchester, it seemed to be a similar crowd when I last went! Birdcage in Manchester is good for a laugh though, especially if you go out in a big group... Bit of drag, few cocktails, not too rough!

[gravity426]

Sheffield just doesn't seem to cater much for this type of venue. I think most people looking for an upmarket time would probably go to a nice restaurant and drink there until closing.

 

IMO the places marketed as 'up market' around here are anything but and attract people who want to look up market, but actually aren't.

[DerbyTup]

I was with you til bar and grill - that place is no better than the other bars in Leopold Sq, as the food and service are scary hit and miss (see trip advisor) and the one time I went it was so awful we had to leave before everyone we were with had eaten, as obvious we wouldn't get what we had ordered, and from a group of 7 only three got anything at all! Not a good place... Tiger Tiger in Manchester I haven't been to, but the Croydon one wasn't disimilar to Brannigans - the grab a granny place that used to be at centretainment! Looking at the queue waiting to get into Tiger Tiger in Manchester, it seemed to be a similar crowd when I last went! Birdcage in Manchester is good for a laugh though, especially if you go out in a big group... Bit of drag, few cocktails, not too rough!

 

Thanks for your comments on Bar & Grill LadyStar. We've been twice and enjoyed it both times - but it's a while ago now when it first opened. We had the confused waitress syndrome as well. But I thought it was nice inside, a bit unlike anything else in Sheff. Sorry to hear that it is so hit and miss - sounds like staffing problems. Have you tried the London Club btw? I haven't, I wonder what it's like food and atmosphere wise - I hear the steaks are the best but would I enjoy sitting in the place? Is it nice inside and cheerful, or is it dark and depressing with loads of loud mouthed Sheffield blokes trying to act hard?

 

One can spoil the other!

[headshef]

I'd head out into Derbyshire and go a bit more upmarket or rustic. Or if you want that big city vibe, with great atmosphere, trendy bar, pretty people, try "Tiger Tiger" in Manchester.

 

Menzels has only been a victim of being positioned opposite the nursery and spitting distance from chumps. The idiots were bound to stop looking in the window and enter the building at some point. And where would you have them smoke if not out the front. And I'm guessing you went on a Friday or Saturday, well what are you expecting. table service and quiet piano.

 

Tiger Tiger is a dive and as you've rightly pointed out is in MANCHESTER.

 

Maybe you should set up Derby forum and go pontificate there if you've got nothing useful to add.

 

Back on point another vote for wig and pen.

 

And it depends what you want, if you mean you want a subsidy added to your drink to cover the cost of a pretentious interior designer the so called upmarket places in Shef (crystal etc) are horriible, I'd avoid Division street too for volume and tangerines. If you want somewhere relaxing to enjoy a few drinks and conversation ( I wouldn't descibe it as upmarket but) I've got a lot of time for the riverside.

[Lady Star]

Thanks for your comments on Bar & Grill LadyStar. We've been twice and enjoyed it both times - but it's a while ago now when it first opened. We had the confused waitress syndrome as well. But I thought it was nice inside, a bit unlike anything else in Sheff. Sorry to hear that it is so hit and miss - sounds like staffing problems. Have you tried the London Club btw? I haven't, I wonder what it's like food and atmosphere wise - I hear the steaks are the best but would I enjoy sitting in the place? Is it nice inside and cheerful, or is it dark and depressing with loads of loud mouthed Sheffield blokes trying to act hard?

 

One can spoil the other!

 

No, I haven't gone to London Club - don't usually do steak houses, and didn't go to bar and grill for that - went on price as it was end of term meal for some college pals, and they do a cheap meal, which isn't a good thing so we discovered! Went to Gusto op St Maries tonight - that was marvellous!

[Lady Star]

Menzels has only been a victim of being positioned opposite the nursery and spitting distance from chumps. The idiots were bound to stop looking in the window and enter the building at some point. And where would you have them smoke if not out the front. And I'm guessing you went on a Friday or Saturday, well what are you expecting. table service and quiet piano.

 

Tiger Tiger is a dive and as you've rightly pointed out is in MANCHESTER.

 

Maybe you should set up Derby forum and go pontificate there if you've got nothing useful to add.

 

Back on point another vote for wig and pen.

 

And it depends what you want, if you mean you want a subsidy added to your drink to cover the cost of a pretentious interior designer the so called upmarket places in Shef (crystal etc) are horriible, I'd avoid Division street too for volume and tangerines. If you want somewhere relaxing to enjoy a few drinks and conversation ( I wouldn't descibe it as upmarket but) I've got a lot of time for the riverside.

 

Crystal was only upmarket for the first half hour of it opening, so some years ago now! It quickly attracted the hen night crowd... I guess a city gets the bars it deserves - maybe not enough classy people to keep a dress code, etc going for long...

[DerbyTup]

Menzels has only been a victim of being positioned opposite the nursery and spitting distance from chumps. The idiots were bound to stop looking in the window and enter the building at some point. And where would you have them smoke if not out the front. And I'm guessing you went on a Friday or Saturday, well what are you expecting. table service and quiet piano.

 

Tiger Tiger is a dive and as you've rightly pointed out is in MANCHESTER.

 

Maybe you should set up Derby forum and go pontificate there if you've got nothing useful to add.

 

Back on point another vote for wig and pen.

 

And it depends what you want, if you mean you want a subsidy added to your drink to cover the cost of a pretentious interior designer the so called upmarket places in Shef (crystal etc) are horriible, I'd avoid Division street too for volume and tangerines. If you want somewhere relaxing to enjoy a few drinks and conversation ( I wouldn't descibe it as upmarket but) I've got a lot of time for the riverside.

 

Ooh I say, I have touched a nerve haven't I?

 

Menzels has always been positioned opposite the Nursery Tavern and that stretch of Ecclesall road has always been busy with a crowd drifting in and out of various bars. But Menzels used to be upmarket - that's the point I'm making - and it isn't upmarket now. Get it?

 

The kind of crowd a place attracts is determined by a number of things, not just the location. Most of all, it is determined by what is probably best described as its "offering". Previously, Menzel's offered very good quality wine and food in a somewhat unusual, eclectic setting. The atmosphere in the place was relaxed, chatty, sophisticated. What it offers now is different. So, you've got a different type of crowd who appreciate it.

 

Regarding the smokers - I would preferably not have them on the premises at all, but if that isn't possible I'd certainly keep them well away from the doors. It isn't pleasant to have to walk through smoke to get into a place and that is where the "down market" experience begins for your clients. It shouldn't be difficult to enforce that.

 

Yes I went on a saturday and no I wasn't expecting a quiet table and a piano - just an upmarket kind of atmosphere like it had before perhaps? Obviously I was expecting too much?

 

Some of us do go to other cities btw and don't consider Manchester to be at the end of the earth. That's why I mentioned the Tiger, Tiger place.

 

I'm sorry you feel I've got nothing useful to add. If you have anything at all to do with Menzels then this feedback, whether you like it or not, is actually a gift to you - all feedback is a gift - good or bad. It is free market research for you. You can choose to ignore it or consider it. It won't change my life one iota, but it could change yours.

 

My board name contains the word Derby but I have no connections with Derby at all. So I won't be setting up a forum there but thanks for the tip. The "Derby Tup" is actually a folk tradtion common to a small number of villages in North East Derbyshire - just 7 miles from Sheffield - which is where I am from. So, if it's all the same to you, I'll stay on this board and keep adding nothing of value to you!

 

Hope you have a better day!

[RobfromLeeds]

Not really my area of expertise, but have you tried The Showroom bar? That normally has a reasonably 'mature' crowd.

[Tess]

Whats Christians like nowadays?