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
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…
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…
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…
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…
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),…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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:…
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…
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…
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…
County Antrim
Carrickfergus' most traditional bar – formerly the Joymount Arms, dating from 1846 – has a cosy interior complete with snugs, fireplaces, a beer garden…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Belfast
Belfast's homegrown answer to Starbucks. Other branches include Donegall Sq West, Rosemary St and Royal Ave.
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…
Belfast
Northern Whig is set in an elegant Georgian printing works, with relaxing sofas and armchairs encouraging serious afternoon loafing, though the pace hots…
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…
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…
