Belfast
In a cobbled alleyway off buzzing Hill St, the snug, traditional Duke feels like a living museum. There's regular live music; local band Snow Patrol…
Must-see nightlife in Northern Ireland
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Belfast
In a city full of buzzing bars, the Sunflower is an authentic corner pub, free from gimmicks and commercial glitz. There are local craft beers on tap, a…
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Belfast
At the Titanic Hotel, one of Harland & Wolff's two historic drawing offices has been transformed into a light-filled bar with an impressive barrel-vaulted…
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Belfast
Heading up Belfast's burgeoning coffee scene, Established takes its beans seriously, serving a range of specialist drip coffees, as well as light meals…
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Belfast
Specialising in rum (more than 30 kinds), this narrow, crowded bar has more atmosphere in one battered sofa than most 'style bars' have in their shiny…
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Derry (Londonderry)
Done up as a typical Irish pub and grocery (with shelves of household items, shopkeeper's scales on the counter and a museum's-worth of old bric-a-brac),…
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Belfast
Hats meet harlotry (ask who Muriel was) in this delightfully snug and welcoming bar with retro-chic decor, old sofas and armchairs, heavy fabrics in…
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County Antrim
Dating from 1654, Ireland's oldest thatched pub is an absolute treasure, with tiny, antique-filled rooms, a crackling turf fire, the best Guinness for…
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Belfast
More like a cool inner-city house party than a bar, speakeasy-style Love & Death Inc is secreted up a flight of stairs above a pizza joint. Its living…
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Belfast
On a summer's night, a cocktail at the Bullitt Hotel's rooftop bar is hard to beat. Come on Sundays for boozy brunches (breakfast and bottomless cocktails…
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Belfast
Behind the oyster-grey ground-floor facade of the 1897 former National Bank building, and through its post-industrial interior, is the National's pièce de…
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Belfast
Gay-owned and -operated, the Soviet-kitsch-themed Kremlin is the heart and soul of Northern Ireland's gay scene. A statue of Lenin guides you into Tsar,…
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Belfast
Run by volunteers, Dock Cafe has an honesty box and no price list: pay what you wish for coffee, tea, cakes, scones and soup. Everyone's welcome to lounge…
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Belfast
Named for the Belfast poet and socialist, the John Hewitt is one of those treasured bars that has no TV or gaming machines, just the murmur of…
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Belfast
On a sunny afternoon, it's hard to beat the Belfast Lough–facing beer garden at this welcoming local, just footsteps from Holywood train station. It's a…
Belfast
A cramped and staunchly traditional bar, Bittles is a 19th-century triangular red-brick building decorated with gilded shamrocks. The wedge-shaped…
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Belfast
Four bars make up the Filthy Quarter: retro-trad-style, bric-a-brac-filled Filthy McNastys, hosting local musicians from 10pm nightly; the fairy-lit…
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Belfast
Managed by the same family since 1918, Lavery's is a vast, multilevel, packed-to-the-gills boozing emporium, crammed with drinkers young and old, from…
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Belfast
On the Ormeau Rd, Hatfield House is no fly-by-night – its original timber and brass bar fixtures and ornate ceiling mouldings are the work of the Titanic…
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Belfast
Kelly's is Belfast's oldest pub (1720) – as opposed to tavern – and was a meeting place for Henry Joy McCracken and the United Irishmen when they were…
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Belfast
Look for the moustached sign to find Maverick, a gay bar that attracts a friendly crowd. Check the Facebook page for the current schedule of cabaret and…
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Belfast
First opened in 1870, the Garrick hangs on to a traditional atmosphere with acres of dark-wood panelling, tiled floors, a pillared bar and old brass oil…
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Belfast
The 'Eg' is a local institution, and widely reckoned to be the best of Belfast's many student pubs. It serves good-value food, and hosts numerous events:…
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Derry (Londonderry)
Housed in a wooden-beamed, 19th-century building brightened with fairy lights, the Taphouse is a cosy place to sample an excellent selection of local and…
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Belfast
A stylish modern bar with retro decor and lots of bare brick and dark wood (check out the Belfast sinks in the loo), Union Street attracts a mixed gay and…
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Belfast
Piped-in birdsong and flowery murals set the scene as an industrial lift takes you up to the Perch, a rooftop bar in the rafters of a Victorian building…
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County Antrim
Carrickfergus' most traditional bar – formerly the Joymount Arms, dating from 1846 – has a cosy interior complete with snugs, fireplaces, a beer garden…
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Belfast
Drop in for a Dropper Hopper coffee made with Central and South American beans roasted at their premises near Crossgar in County Down. On weekends, Drop…
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Derry (Londonderry)
From the posters of Che to the Free Palestine flag to the fairtrade coffee and gluten-free beer, this relaxed cafe-bar exudes a liberal, left-wing vibe…
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County Antrim
Rathlin Island's pub and beer garden overlook the harbour, with wooden picnic tables providing an idyllic spot for a pint and a plate of hearty pub food…
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Belfast
Established in 1630 but rebuilt in 1790, White's claims to be Belfast's oldest tavern (unlike a pub, a tavern provided food and lodging). It's a…
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Belfast
Wednesday at the 'Bot' is one of Belfast's longest-running student nights, with live music and DJs on the decks in the basement club. The party continues…
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Belfast
With eclectic art covering the walls, the Harlem is a great place for lounging over coffee, or enjoying a glass of wine after hitting the shops. A full…
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Derry (Londonderry)
Above Quays Bar, Derry's hottest club spreads over two floors, and has the city's largest rooftop terrace. Guest and resident DJs play; see the Facebook…
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County Antrim
This modern bar-bistro has dining on two levels, but the real reason to drop by is for a drink on the sun-drenched timber-decked terrace overlooking the…
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Belfast
Belfast's homegrown answer to Starbucks. Other branches include Donegall Sq West, Rosemary St and Royal Ave.
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Derry (Londonderry)
With wooden booths, leather sofas and roaring fires, the Blackbird hasn't sacrificed comfort and cosiness in its bid to create a modern space. The kitchen…
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Belfast
Northern Whig is set in an elegant Georgian printing works, with relaxing sofas and armchairs encouraging serious afternoon loafing, though the pace hots…
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Derry (Londonderry)
A fine polished-brass and stained-glass Victorian pub with wood-panelled nooks and crannies, and an outdoor terrace, Badgers overflows at lunchtime with…
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Belfast
In Belfast's oldest surviving building, dating from 1711, McHugh's retains a wonderfully traditional feel with its old wooden booths and benches, and…
