Automatic Cafe

After a terrific meal in their sister venue The Clarence nearby, we popped to Automatic to check it out as it’d recently been refurbished.
It was a Friday evening so, as expected, it was absolutely packed out with drinkers (and a fair few diners). Lots of tables but almost every seat had been taken, we had to wait a few minutes to be seated. The lengthy bar has plenty of room to stand though.
As the night’s designated driver (aka ‘mug’) I was on the soft drinks, which was probably the reason I wasn’t too keen on the place. I’m going to sound like an old man but you could hardly hear yourself speak over the noise in there. No music blaring, just the conversations of a couple hundred punters.
What with numerous staff whisking about the place carrying trays of drinks and food, it was just too manic in there to stay for too long in my sober-​as-​a-​judge physical state. Now where are my pipe and slippers???

Used to be god bar full of Belgium beers and whisky. No more beer or whisky menu. They are better places to eat so not that good a place to go in bury now

I wanted to try an independent coffee shop near my parents’ house and this was one place that I’d been to before, but I wasn’t drinking coffee back then.
Automatic was ok: I probably won’t go back as it was nothing special and the cake I had was clearly unmemorable. If you’re in Bury and you want an alternative to Costa Coffee or a greasy spoon, this place will do for the moment, but it’s not worth making a special trip to try it out.

I really want to like this place, I do but I just find I can’t. The menu is varied and has some great sounding things on it, each time I’m in Bury I’m tempted by the thought of trying something I saw on the menu, even though I know this place isn’t all that good. I have no idea why and I’ve put my foot down on going again.
I’ve eaten here at least four times now and each time it’s been a little bit more of a let down. The food is all promised to be great quality but I have not found that to be so. Last time I went (about a week ago) I ordered the black pudding and bacon salad with a poached egg. The bacon was far too greasy and the egg was more boiled than poached plus the mustard dressing over-​powered everything. My partner ordered the all day brunch and again the bacon was far too greasy, the scrambled eggs tasteless and the sausage tasted like it had come from a chip shop. The service also seems to get worse each time I come, with waitresses that seem to find it a chore to even serve you or ask if there are any sauces etc you’d like with your meal when they plonk the plate down in front of you. The prices are a little on the high side for what you actually get. The only things I can speak highly of is the décor (although not the seating, too squished for my liking) and the drinks menu. The coffees are decent and the choice of cocktails very good and fairly priced compared to some other places.
But I think I’ve given this place more than a fair shot and it hasn’t lived up to it’s own promises. I won’t be going back.

We were down from Aberdeen and went to Automatic with friends on Wed 29^th Sept for lunch. 1 of of our friends had eaten there before and said it was good. The food was excellent, very good quality and nicely presented. We all had something different (there was 5 of us) and we all really enjoyed what we had. I had the mixed grill and it was fab! The staff were very efficient and friendly. It is a clean bright and airy place to eat. Well recommended, and would love to go back.

Automatic really doesn’t feel like you are in the middle of grim Bury. It is way classier than, say, the Yates also on Market Street or most of the other establishments around here. Attached to the Met Theatre it is a coffee shop/​restaurant/​bar depending on the time and what you are after.
They’ve got an impressive list of cocktails and this is what I have been for — they are between £4 and £6 each so savour them, girls. If you want to just knock some drinks back then you can go to almost every other place in Bury. The food is a reasonable price for what they are offering, like their melted paninis. Good for a quick stop.
The staff here are really attentive and you can tell that they are treated well — no grumpy faces here just professional and friendly.

The best offering in central Bury. Great menu, good drinks list and nice bistro style food. Great coffee

excellent dry bar continental style superbly run bar restaurant
food amazing
staff amazing
who needs manchester
looked after about 18 of us with no notice or warning on 2^nd may
well be back for more
great menu well presented food
timings great
no problem with young-​uns
well done all