The Best Student Clubs and Bars in Manchester

Heading to Manchester for uni? Nice one! Here are the best Manchester student bars and clubs to get familiar with.

Skiddle Staff

Last updated: 28th Aug 2024

Manchester, the real second city, is a top place for any fresher. There are a handful of unis in the area so there’s always plenty of students, which means there are tonnes of brilliant Manchester student clubs and bars too.

And since Manchester student nightlife is so vast, there’s something that’ll appeal to everyone - gaming bars, cheap beer gardens, huge raves, small parties, metal clubs, gig venues, you name it!

Let’s not mess about then. Here are some of the very best you should consider checking out during freshers' week and beyond.

The best Manchester student clubs

Hidden

Photo: Hidden / Facebook.com

Location: 16-18 Mary St, Cheetham Hill in Manchester M3 1NH

A stunning clubbing destination, Hidden always provides the goods, offering events stacked with performances from some of the most hyped and renowned selectors in the electronic scene.

With several rooms, including a courtyard, the Basement Room (The Den), the Blue Room and the Hangar Space, the award-winning venue specialises particularly in house, techno, and disco events. But it’s not unusual for them to host DnB and garage events!

This year, Hidden will be hosting Bubblin' every two weeks on Thursdays, a brand new student night covering speed garage, 2-step, UKG, UK funky, and more. Hidden also welcomes Haustopia, their brand new student house night which will bring the sounds of house, garage house, minimal, deep, tech, and disco house.

Hidden also hosts plenty of Homoelectric events that are popular with the LGBTQ+ community but everyone’s welcome! The definition of a good night out, definitely give Hidden a whirl!

Find tickets for events at Hidden

The White Hotel

Photo: The WHITE HOTEL presents / Facebook.com

Location: Dickinson St in Salford M3 7LW

What was once a car repair shop and garage is now a safe haven and platform for the avant-garde patrons of the north.

A venue built to showcase the more experimental side of club music and beyond, located on the fringes of the city, Salford's White Hotel is, without doubt, an acquired taste. Its dark décor and bizarre characteristics, however, make it what it is - unique.

But it isn’t all mad electronic tunes, the venue also welcomes bands, often indie, rock, and/or alternative, to its stage.

Find tickets for events at The White Hotel

Venue

Photo: Venue Manchester / Facebook.com

Location: 29 Jackson's Row in Manchester M2 5WD

Not everyone likes constant untz untz tunes so Venue comes through with recurring nights including Indiependence, Live Forever, and the odd ABBA disco. Depending on the night, you've got indie, dance tunes, Manc anthems, pop, and... ABBA. Thursdays are no stranger to themed nights dedicated to specific artists like Oasis, Fontaines D.C., Charli XCX, Chappell Roan, and more.

There’s often two for one drinks (any drink) before midnight. And if you pay a little more for your ticket, you'll get a can and a shot. It's a no-brainer really, isn't it?

Find tickets for events at Venue

Joshua Brooks

Photo: Joshua Brooks / Facebook.com

Location: 106 Princess St in Manchester M1 6NG

One of the city’s best-loved nightlife spots that doubles up as a bar in the daytime, JB welcomes some of the hottest electronic artists and DJs to its basement space.

Huge names and brands take over the space to treat punters to banging tunes over a belting sound system. The venue’s won a fair few awards for how brill it is and it welcomes just about any electronic genre. JBs has that underground feel, so when you go here for a party, it’s all about the music.

Find tickets for events at Joshua Brooks

The Depot (Mayfield)

Photo: Depot Mayfield / Facebook.com

Location: 11 Baring St in Manchester M1 2PY

If you love clubbing, you’ll know about The Warehouse Project. If you don’t, it’s never too late to learn!

The Depot is the home of the legendary series of events known as The Warehouse Project. But it also has loads of other raves and events. A former railway complex, The Depot is Manchester’s biggest venue that attracts ravers from all over.

But it’s one of those places you just have to experience for yourself. Nothing we could say about this colossal space would ever truly do it justice.

With multiple-stage setups, jaw-dropping production, and chest-rattling sound rigs, this massive space that can accommodate up to 10,000 music fans offers stellar music experiences.

Find tickets for events at The Depot (Mayfield) / Find tickets for The Warehouse Project

SOUP

Photo: SOUP / Instagram.com

Location: 31-33 Spear St, Manchester M1 1DF

Small but mighty, SOUP (formerly known as Soup Kitchen) sits in the Northern Quarter just off Stevenson Square.

There’s no wild lighting rig or sound rigs, no mad pyro, and there's just enough room to swing a cat. Not that we endorse swinging cats about. Please don't swing your cat about. Still, SOUP has a special place in the hearts of Mancunian music fans thanks in part to its down-to-earth, back-to-basics, DIY feel and character.

The multi-award-winning gaff doesn’t care too much about genre. You can find a bit of everything here. And that’s yet another reason why we can’t get enough of it.

Find tickets for events at SOUP

The Deaf Institute

Photo: www.thedeafinstitute.co.uk

Location: 135 Grosvenor St in Manchester M1 7HE

The Deaf Institute is an independent bar and venue just off Oxford Road between Manchester and Manchester Met uni campuses.

Deaf Institute is spread across three floors with a kitchen and roof terrace. It hosts all sorts of events including exhibitions, gigs, and club nights (including the Whip-Round and Revolver indie nights, Back To The 80s, themed nights, and loads more).

One of the best Manchester student clubs and one of the city’s favourite venues for years, you’ll make some cracking memories here.

Find tickets for events at The Deaf Institute

42's

Photo: 42ND STREET NIGHTCLUB / Facebook.com

Location: 2 Bootle St in Manchester M2 5GU

Another one for those who need a break from dance tunes, 42's (actually called 42nd Street but everyone calls it 42's) offers indie bangers with parties during the week and at the weekend. Thursday is SKINT… we don’t have to tell you why that should appeal to you as a student. There’s also Dirty Dancefloors, Urban Legends, Blowout with throwback tunes, and Amplified with splashes of hip-hop.

More often than not, there’s drinks deals and there’s always students in there which makes it perfect for making new mates. Bosh.

Find tickets for events at 42's

Satan's Hollow

Photo: Satans Hollow / Facebook.com

Location: 101 Princess St in Manchester M1 6DD

Again, if you aren’t fond of thumping club tunes, Satan’s is here for you. Head here for thrash, hardcore, punk, nu-metal, pop-punk, rock, emo, goth, and afterparties following a big heavy band's gig in the city (think Thy Art Is Murder, Avril Lavigne, and Spiritbox).

Established in 2000, the venue's been a favourite for those in the alternative scene since its inception, boasting silent discos (playing alternative music as well as pop and hip-hop if you want to bring your normie mates along), battle of the bands competitions, and 2 Pound Tuesdays where entry is £2 (before 12) and you can grab cans of beer, VK, single spirit mixers, Jagerbombs, and more for 2 quid.

Satan’s also hosts gigs for smaller artists, so it’s great for finding your new favourite bands and meeting people with similar tastes in music.

The best student bars in Manchester

YES

Photo: YES / Facebook.com

Location: 38 Charles St in Manchester M1 7DB

YES is always popping. It hosts a fair few gigs and club nights there but the bar is also solid. There’s plenty of space for dancing and the venue has a roof terrace that's decorated with houseplants to feel like a lovely little getaway.

The crowd is always on the younger side, there's pizza and gyros with vegan options, and the Basement and Pink Room (yes, it's actually pink) is where you can find small artists performing and club nights.

Find tickets for events at YES

MOJO

MOJO-Manchester

Photo: MOJO Manchester / Facebook.com

Location: 59A Bridge St in Manchester M3 3BQ

If the night's coming to an end but you really aren't ready for bed, head to MOJOs.

On Friday and Saturday, it stays open until 5:30 am and shuts at 4 am the rest of the week, making it one of the latest opening venues in the city. Now, for obvious reasons, we aren't recommending you try this (especially if the bar’s quiet). But MOJO is the kind of place where people dance on tables towards the end of the night.

It's a bit shabby, serves up cocktails, and plays guitar music from the last four decades. Oh, and happy hour is 5pm until 11pm on Sundays to Thursdays, and 5pm until 8 pm on Friday and Saturday.

Big Hands

Photo: Big Hands Bar / Facebook.com

Location: 296 Oxford Rd in Manchester M13 9NS

With stickers and graffiti in the toilets, a little partly-covered rooftop area with plants, stools, barrels, tables, and chairs, music décor inside, and low sofas, Big Hands is a little unusual but that's why everyone loves it. their Instagram proclaims "Smashing glasses and records since 2001. Drink, dance, fall over!", which should give you an idea of what to expect.

Despite it being a little cramped, bands play here fairly regularly. It's also close to buildings from both Uni of and MMU, so there’s usually a young crowd. It's especially lively when there's a gig on at Manchester Academy.

Find tickets for events at Big Hands

Bunny Jacksons

Bunny-Jacksons

Photo: Bunny Jacksons / Facebook.com

Location: 1 Jack Rosenthal St in Manchester M15 4RA / sister site, Junior Jacksons - 64 Oldham St in Manchester M4 1LE

One of the best student bars in Manchester for more reasons than we can count, Bunny Jacksons (sometimes affectionately known as BJs… yeah, seriously) is a dive bar with American beer and whisky, frozen margaritas, American sports, live music, and, certainly most importantly, 25p chicken wings.

They also do a mad hot wing challenge that they're certain will make you cry. But you'll get a T-shirt out of it whether you embarrass yourself or come out a champion. Easily one of the best bars in Manchester full stop, it's a bit chaotic and a lot of laughs - give it a go!

The Courtyard

The-Courtyard

Photo: The Courtyard / Facebook.com

Location: 2 Chester St in Manchester M1 5GF

Skint? Go to Courtyard. It’s almost like the long-lost cousin of Spoons but slightly more expensive.

But here, there’s pool, a 250-capacity partly sheltered beer garden with heating, and music. We don’t know about you but we choose music every time. They show sports on huge screens including one that’s one of those big whiteboard things teachers used to project slide shows onto.

It’s right next to MMU’s All Saints building, there's cocktails from £2.60, beer from £2.75, £2.50 or 5 for £10 Jager bombs, £9 and £10 cocktail jugs… just go. Trust us, just go.

Society

Photo: Society / Instagram.com

Location: 100 Barbirolli Square in Manchester M2 3AB

If you’re wanting to be social and have a quiet pint and a chat, you might like Society.

Society has plenty on. A hub for street food, craft beer, wine, and cocktails, Society has five independently-owned kitchens covering Indian, pizza, pan-Asian, burgers, and Korean food specialists. There's also a cocktail bar and specialist taproom.

Fitting up to 350 people, the high-ceiling, low-lit venue is all about sinking into the evening and socialising to forget about whatever's been troubling you that day. Bringing resident DJs to soundtrack it all, it's a top little space. They also have a little beer garden outside next to Rochdale Canal Lake.

Find cheap places to eat in Manchester

The Bread Shed

Photo: The Bread Shed Manchester / Facebook.com

Where: 126 Grosvenor Street (entrance on Sidney Street) in Manchester M1 7HL

The Bread Shed, with its weekly open mic nights, Quizioke every Thursday, and Scottifri on Fridays where the DJ takes requests for free, is a goldie.

When you aren’t enjoying all that, free pool Tuesdays, or comedy, brunches, club nights, or board game nights, you can take advantage of sports events (both live and on-screen), card shows, and more.

The cosy, underground, low-lit venue is known for its intimate atmosphere (480-capacity), reasonable drinks prices, and for hosting lots of live gigs, especially up-and-coming acts that fall under the rock and metal umbrella, like Slam Fest, for example. But you’ll also find DnB, trance, house, and more.

Find tickets for events at The Bread Shed

256 Wilmslow Road

Photo: 256 Wilmslow Road / Instagram.com

Location: 256 Wilmslow Rd in Fallowfield, Manchester M14 6LB

If some of these venues have been putting you off as they look too expensive, this is the venue you'll want to remember.

Over in Fallowfield, an area flooded with students, 256 Wilmslow Road is a big, bustling bar with a bit of a club vibe, happy hours, and, obviously, loads of students.

It has a few dedicated student nights including free entry quiz nights every Sunday where you can win £100, and On The House on Mondays, a night with free pool and table tennis, free board games, and XBOX and PlayStations. On Fridays, they have a 90s vs 00s night and Thursdays are for boogie bingo.

Also serving food including Sunday roasts, burgers, and more, they have a lot of deals including chips and a drink for a fiver, 30% off food plus 2 pints for a fiver all day on Tuesdays, 50% off food on Mondays, and so much more.

Finally, they have a beer garden with an outdoor barbecue, DJs, and more bar games like giant Connect Four, beer pong, a karaoke room, and more, as well as showing live sports.

Since Manchester will be your home for the next few years, you’ll need to know the best Manchester student clubs and bars to hang out in while procrastinating your coursework. Save this page for when that time comes.

While you’re here, why not check out our other Manchester guides like free things to do, cheap things to do, and our Manchester student nightlife guide?

Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.