Band on the Wall

Band on the Wall is one of Manchester’s longest-running live music venues, with roots stretching back well over a century. Housed in a Victorian pub in the Northern Quarter, it played a key role in the city’s punk and post-punk years, with early performances by bands like Buzzcocks, The Fall and Joy Division. Today, the venue is best known for its broad and carefully curated programme, covering everything from jazz, folk and reggae to global and experimental sounds. The adjoining Picturehouse bar, set in a former cinema, offers a relaxed place for food and drinks before a gig.

Information

address25 Swan Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester
openingHoursMon & Tue 5pm–midnight, Wed–Fri 5pm–2am, Sat noon–3am, Sun 1pm–midnight
phone+44 161 834 1786
websiteVisit website
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Tariff & Dale

Tariff & Dale is an industrial-style bar and restaurant on Manchester’s edge of the Northern Quarter, serving sourdough pizzas, pub classics, British beers and creative cocktails. The space retains original features with clever touches: a tradesmen’s entrance becomes the main door, a former lift shaft is now a snug booth, and a historic hydraulic fabric press stands in the entrance.

Hard Rock Cafe

Hard Rock Cafe Manchester sits inside The Printworks, a short walk from the Arndale Centre and the National Football Museum. The UK’s largest Hard Rock serves American favourites: burgers, ribs and shakes, alongside beers and cocktails, in a space decorated with rock memorabilia from The Beatles to Oasis and Elvis Presley.

Manchester235

Manchester235 is the North West’s top destination for entertainment and gaming, housed in the Great Northern Warehouse. It combines multiple gaming floors featuring slot machines, electronic games, poker tables, and a dedicated Poker Lounge that hosts cash games throughout the week and tournaments on weekends. Upstairs, James Martin Manchester showcases the seasonal, locally sourced cuisine of celebrity chef James Martin, delivering modern British dishes in a sophisticated setting.

The Deaf Institute

The Deaf Institute is an independent bar, music venue and club spread across three floors just off Oxford Road. Housed in a beautiful Victorian building dating back to 1878, it mixes a relaxed daytime bar with busy gig nights, club evenings and late sessions that stretch into the early hours. Downstairs, the basement bar has a slightly decadent feel and is often used for club nights, while the main bar upstairs centres around long tables, booth seating and a drinks list that includes cocktails, local beers and frozen mixes. The first-floor music hall is the real draw here, a ballroom-style space with a domed ceiling, velvet curtains and a large mirror ball, known for hosting live acts, comedy and club nights. Many well-known artists passed through early in their careers, and it remains a strong stop on Manchester’s live music circuit.

Flight Club

Flight Club is a darts bar that puts a twist on the traditional game, using technology-led scoring and fast-paced multiplayer formats designed for groups. You don’t need to be good at darts to enjoy it, which is part of the appeal. Alongside the boards, there’s a long bar serving cocktails and beers, plus a menu of sharing plates and pizza paddles.

Gorilla

Set beneath the railway arches on Whitworth Street West, Gorilla is a bar, kitchen, live music venue, and late-night club all in one. By day, it’s known for breakfasts, burgers and hearty plates, while evenings shift the focus to drinks, gigs and DJs. The industrial setting works in its favour, with a main bar downstairs and a mezzanine Gin Parlour above for something a bit calmer. It’s a regular stop for live shows and club nights, attracting a mixed crowd that keeps the place busy long after dinner service ends.

Junkyard Golf

For a different kind of night out in Manchester, Junkyard Golf combines indoor crazy golf with cocktails and loud playlists. The venue has three themed nine-hole courses built from recycled props and neon-lit scenery, with obstacles that range from the surreal to the outright daft. Music runs most of the night, and bars are spread through the space serving cocktails, simple mixed drinks, and bar snacks.

Peveril of The Peak

It is said that pub culture is under threat in England, but this does not apply to Manchester. One of the city’s best pubs stands in a green-tiled building surrounded by modern office blocks: the 200-year-old Peveril of the Peak. Inside, it’s straightforward and well worn, with snug rooms and a bar that keeps the focus on well-kept beer rather than trends. Locals drop in for a quick pint, regulars settle in for longer, and the mood rarely changes, whatever the time of day.