Nights Out in Manchester

Kate Feld

They say a lot of things about Manchester, but one thing they don’t say is that it’s dead after dark. This is a city that has “up for it” written in its DNA, as the mind-boggling variety of the city’s nightspots attests. We don’t like to brag, but we’ve got it all: peaceful tiled pubs serving cool cask ales, check. Beard-stroking hipster hangouts, check. Giant clubs full of pissed-up students pogoing to Common People, check. Specialist wine bars, bouncer-patrolled footballer haunts, funky dives, indie music halls, real ale bars, jazz joints, karaoke nightbars… we could go on. For chrissakes, we even have a pub in a toilet. Here’s our guide to the city after the sun goes down. Get out there and have fun (and tell ‘em we sent ya).

Our top picks

Albert Hall

Albert Hall, 27 Peter Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M2 5QR - Visit now

Manchester’s Albert Hall is a one-off kind of a place: a former Wesleyan chapel that spent years slumming it as a low-rent pub before closing. It’s now one of Manchester’s most atmospheric music venues, with cook haus and bohemian bier palace Albert’s Schloss on the ground floor, and a stunning upstairs space that hosts gigs, club nights and even bonkers bingo.

– Polly Checkland Harding

Albert Hall on Peter street Manchester
Image courtesy the Albert Hall.

Dog Bowl

Dog Bowl, Arch 57, Whitworth St West, Manchester, M1 5WW - Visit now

Situated beneath the railway tracks on Whitworth St West, Dog Bowl is a far cry from your average bowling alley. Open till late, this neon-lit venue marries suave cocktails with tenpin pleasure across five full length lanes. Food-wise, think Tex-Mex, with burgers, fajitas, wings and slow cooked meat. Alternatively, head to basement bar Twenty Twenty Two for a spot of ping pong.

– Lizzie Wood

Dog Bowl bowling alley and restaurant Manchester.
Dog Bowl.

Breakout Town Hall

Breakout Town Hall, 14a Brazennose Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M2 6LW - Visit now

Beads of sweat trickle down your forehead, you snap at fellow prisoners and your head is swimming with clues as the pressure mounts. Experience the thrill of the escape room challenge at the brilliant Break Out: you’ll have an hour to escape using only the combined brainpower of you and your companions. Your abilities will be tested by any one of their range of themed rooms, including Monroe’s Detective Office, Virus and Most Wanted.

– Polly Checkland Harding

Matt and Phred’s

Matt and Phred’s, 64 Tib Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 1LW - Visit now

Dedicated to jazz, Matt & Phreds is always a good bet for interesting and innovative independent music. Effortlessly cool – on a good night, the audience will push back the round, Parisian tables and dance to the band. The venue also has a great wine list and knows how to make a good pizza.

– Matthew Britton

matt and phreds sign manchester music

Castle Hotel

Castle Hotel, 66 Oldham Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 1LE - Visit now

Merciful lighting, snug seating and a cozy atmosphere to get tiddly in – this is a pub that boasts a parlour-like back room, complete with upright piano. Short though the bar may be, it packs in an impressive array of taps. Wine comes by the glass as well as the bottle, and there’s a healthy selection of whisky arranged school-trophy-style along the top shelf. The Castle Hotel also puts on a roster of excellent live events. Well known for its pack-em-in music gigs, the pub is also making a name for itself via literary events such as Manchester’s spoken word heavyweight, Bad Language.

– Polly Checkland Harding

Castle Hotel pub in Manchester

Where to go in Manchester

Manchester
Restaurant
Exhibition

Exhibition is an elegant dining hall on Peter Street, home to Jaan and other high-level independent kitchens.

Stow
City Centre
Restaurant
Stow

Stow is a new fire-based restaurant on Bridge Street in Manchester, from the team behind Trof.

Merseyway is built on giant stilts over the river Mersey – hence the name! It was one of the first shopping centres to open in 1965 and was refurbished in 1995. Merseyway are proud of their heritage and their role in continuing to attract visitors to Stockport. They strive to live up to the brand promise “famous brands, fabulously close”.
Manchester
Merseyway Shopping Centre

Merseyway is built on giant stilts over the river Mersey – hence the name! It was one of the first shopping centres to open in 1965 and was refurbished in 1995. Merseyway are proud of their heritage and their role in continuing to attract visitors to Stockport. They strive to live up to the brand promise “famous brands, fabulously close”.

Millington Hall Farm
Altrincham
Event venue
Millington Hall Farm

Millington Hall Farm is a one of a kind destination offering field to fork dining alongside learning experiences that will stay with you long after your visit.

Giant Crab SEA LIFE Manchester
Manchester
Tourist Attraction
SEA LIFE Manchester

Perfect for families, dive into the stories of the oceans’ most fascinating residents, including clownfish, stingrays, sharks and sea turtles.

Off the Square
Manchester
Restaurant
Off The Square

Set in the beating heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter, Off The Square is state-of-the-art music and events space that plays host to live gigs as well as club nights.

Louis Restaurant
Manchester
Restaurant
Louis Restaurant

A Rat Pack-style restaurant with of live music and upscale Italian-American dining, and strictly no phones.

Manchester Visitor Guides

Manchester Central Library
UNESCO City of Literature: Manchester

Manchester is the 26th UNESCO City of Literature, joining illustrious alumni from across the globe. Here's our guide to literary landmarks across the city.

Vegan Food in Manchester

Whether you’re a proud vegan or merely curious, let us guide you towards the best vegan food in Manchester for Veganuary.

Manchester Restaurant Deals

Manchester's restaurants are bending over backwards to create deals that take the sting out of eating out. Here are the best of the bunch for January.

UNITOM bookshop
Bookshops in Manchester

Manchester is a UNESCO City of Literature, so of course there are a few go-tos for books. Read our guide to discover the best places to pick them up.

People enjoying drinking in Altrincham
Things to Do in Altrincham

Plan a day out down Altrincham way, and you’ll soon find that one day isn’t nearly enough. Getting there is easy on the tram, or how about cycling along the...

Bars in Manchester

The best new bars in Manchester, plus some old favourites for good measure.

Spotlight on

Things to do in Blackpool

Fancy a day trip? Explore our guide to Blackpool and build yourself an itinerary featuring attractions, galleries, restaurants and more.

Take me there

Culture Guides

A man and a woman stood in front of a window at night look into each others' eyes
Cinema in the North

Hollywood greats and early bird film fest tickets are on our horizon as we start the New Year.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Documentary performance, groundbreaking dance, world premieres and fresh takes on classic works - check out our early theatre highlights for 2025.

Raver Tots at Escape to Freight Island
Family things to do in the North

We might be past the holiday season, but Manchester and the North's arts and cultural calendar is still packed with brilliant events and activities for families

Music in the North

Warm, intimate storytelling is the thread connecting our new picks, which include a number of brilliant folk artists.

A sculpture of a dark brown dog looks to the right, hanging out of its middle and the back are what appears to be its insides (in cream) spilling out.
Exhibitions in the North

From genre-defying art film to vibrant embroidery and Surrealist sculpture, check out the best winter exhibitions to see right now.