Disorder: We take a first look inside the Northern Quarter’s new Joy Division-inspired bar

There is a new edition to the Northern Quarter bar scene that’s dedicated to one of Manchester’s greatest musical exports, Joy Division.

The bar and restaurant, named Disorder after one of the band’s most famous songs, has taken over the High Street spot that used to belong to Walrus. It spans two floors, with venue space for bands and DJs downstairs and a bar and dining area upstairs.

The most obvious nod to the Joy Division theme is the mural of Ian Curtis by local street artist Akse, based on the famous portrait of the singer by photographer Kevin Cummings. This will be a welcome sight for any Mancunians still angry about the previous Ian Curtis mural that was painted over last summer and replaced with an advertisement for rapper Aitch’s debut album.

Surprisingly, you won’t find any tribute to the instantly-recognisable Unknown Pleasures album artwork at Disorder, but there is a green neon sign with the album name to accompany the mural upstairs. The rest of the decor is clean and modern, with classic Chesterfield sofas lining the upstairs and downstairs, where there is plenty of room for a full band and lots of dancing.

The bar opened on Friday 17 February with a special DJ set from two more Manchester icons, Bez from the Happy Mondays and singer Rowetta.

The food and drink offer at Disorder

The menu at Disorder is heavily inspired by Japanese street food and Izakaya bars. They have three different kinds of gyozas that come in portions of five, including pork and apple, elote and hoisin, and a selection of Sandos in popular flavours like chicken karaage and a shrimp tempura ebi-katsu.

There are also plenty of vegan and vegetarian options, such as their ahi watermelon tostada that comes with nori and lemon vegan cream cheese, or the smoked cauliflower tostada that comes with edamame hummus.

You can also check out their selection of skewers, which includes flavours like mushroom bulgogi and pineapple and gochujang tofu, or their loaded fries which come with toppings like kimchi cheese and chicken katsu.

The Japanese theme continues through the drinks menu with a selection of different sakes, available to purchase at around £30 for a 300ml bottle. You can also enjoy classic cocktails like Manhattans, negronis or an old fashioned, or something more adventurous like the chocolate orange martini.

There is also a full range of beers on tap and extensive whiskey menu with bourbons, ryes and single malts. If you prefer wine, they also have several red, white, rose and prosecco options.

More information can be found on the Disorder website and Instagram.