The best student bars and clubs in Belfast
Heading to the Capital of the North of Ireland for Uni? Then get scrolling and find out the best Belfast student clubs and Belfast student bars ahead of the big move!
Date published: 18th Sep 2024
So you're heading over to Belfast for your Uni years, and (you might know this already) we can tell you now you've made one hell of a choice! However, whether you're from the North of Ireland or you're travelling over the Irish Sea, one thing you will need to know is what bars and clubs cater to the student population
But do not worry! We are here to help. We have narrowed down the very best on offer in Belfast into a list that will help you in Freshers Week and beyond. From traditional Irish boozers to riotous late-night clubs, get scrolling and start planning your Uni nights out, who knows, the knowledge you gain may impress those soon-to-be best mates!
Image: The Union Bar on Facebook
Where: 3 Elmwood Ave, Belfast, BT9 6AY
What better place to start a list of the best Belfast student bars than your student union bar? The Union Bar is a huge student-only space with free entertainment every night of the week from bingo, pub quizzes, live music, big-screen sports, and unforgettable club nights. Basically, there's always something going on, there's always free entry, and there are always great student prices.
Find tickets for events at The Union Bar - HERE
Where: 45 Dublin Rd, Belfast, BT2 7HD
An absolute icon in the Belfast nightlife scene, Filthy McNastys is a spot that anyone living in Belfast, whether a student or not, will be frequenting. With a variety of live music every day, ranging from rock to country to pop and everything in between, it's bouncing most nights, with an atmosphere that's always electric.
With three spaces; the Front Bar, with 30 draught taps and an extensive seasonal cocktail list; the Club Room, open 4 nights a week and host to the best parties in Belfast over the past 10 years; and Filthy's Garden (pictured above), a vibrant space with lively atmosphere and bright, colourful picnic tables.
Find tickets for events at Filthy McNastys - HERE
Where: 17 Ormeau Ave, Belfast, BT2 8HD
One of Belfast's longest-standing clubs and live music venues that has played host to numerous stars over its 30 years (including Oasis and Arctic Monkeys), Limelight is an absolute institution that we are certain you'll spend many a night during your uni years.
With five spaces including two club rooms, a bar, a garden space and a terrace, Limelight not only has great live music, but regular club nights that will catch any student's eye. From UFO Wednesdays, their weekly student rave where the speakers pump all things House, Techno and Disco; to Babba Thursdays, which will cater to all your cheesy pop needs with drinks as cheap as £2.50; to AAA Saturdays, their longest-running night which provides nothing but big energy. As Belfast student clubs go, this one is most definitely a right of passage.
Find tickets for events at Limelight - HERE
Image: The Parlour on Facebook
Where: 2-4 Elmwood Ave, Belfast, BT9 6AY
Just over the road from The Union Bar, right down the road from the Queens Uni campus, lies The APrlour, a bar that is always packed with students, with one of the best beer gardens in Belfast and superb drinks deals throughout the week from discounted draft and craft beers, shots, spirits and cocktails; this spot in the student quarter will be a firm favourite of yours during your uni journey.
With live music every night, except on Thursdays when they host their very popular quiz night, The Parlour is essential when looking at the best Belfast student bars.
Where: 3 Pattersons Pl, Belfast, BT1 4HW
A Belfast Clubbing Institution that was established back in 1993, Thompsons Garage is the go-to place in the city for students who are after a boogie, and with it being open seven nights a week, there's never an excuse not to.
With a theme and genre every night: Kandi Mondays, which features floor-friendly RnB & House cuts with wallet-friendly drinks promotions; Electric Playground Tuesdays, with the very best in Tech House, Trance & Hard Techno pumping out the speakers; Funkarama Wednesdays, Belfast’s longest running mid-week R&B and Hip Hop night; Switch Thursdays, showcasing a full clip of joints and jams with resident turntablists; Misfit Fridays, for the underground House & Techno heads; Stereo Sessions Saturdays, for the bass-inclined ravers; and the Sunday Social, with unplugged classics and seminal sets from a selection of Belfast’s finest DJs. get to know it and get yourself down!
The Duke of York
Where: 7-11 Commercial Ct, Belfast, BT1 2NB
Whilst not necessarily a student hotspot, there is no denying that The Duke of York is one of, if not the best pub in the whole of Belfast. Dripping with Irish charm and selling Guinness by the bucketload, this spot is also located on Commerical Court, a pedestrianised street in the city lined with pubs and bars which regularly see the drinkers in said establishments pour out onto its cobbles on busy nights.
A must-visit no matter who you are in Belfast, but as a student who calls the city home, you simply have to get a taste, as this is what Belfast is all about.
Where: 1 Union St, Belfast, BT1 2JF
For any queer students coming to spend their uni years in Belfast, then the spot for you has to be The Maverick. Open til late 7 days a week with regular drag and cabaret performers (some of the best in the city), it's an accepting safe space for any and all who need it.
plus, If you're strapped for cash as students often are, then don't worry, as The Maverick's midweek parties like their Mega Mondays and Tuesday Tussel feature cheap drinks but continue the amazing casts of performers on stage.
Where: 42 Botanic Avenue, Belfast, BT7 1JQ
With an eclectic calendar featuring everything from live music to club nights to comedy and more, the Belfast Empire is not only bouncing most nights of the week, but it's absolutely stunning inside.
A Converted church that's doused in red velvet and covered in golden trim, it feels like you've stepped back into the roaring twenties, just everyone's dressed a bit differently. This is one of Belfast's most beloved venues, and as a student in the city, these feelings will be mutual in no time.
Find tickets for events at The Belfast Empire - HERE
The Dirty Onion
Where: 3 Hill Street, Belfast, BT1 2LA
Inside one of the oldest buildings in the entirety of Belfast is one of its coolest bars, and the bar is The Dirty Onion. The 300-year-old former warehouse has been transformed into an old-school boozy paradise with one of the city's largest beer gardens.
You and your uni pals will be able to drink the night away here whilst sampling some incredible Scottish whiskey, craft beers, and also some mean rotisserie chicken from the onsite restaurant 'Yardbird.' The beer garden is always buzzing, and with free live music every night, it's a true Irish treat.
The Points
Where: 44 Dublin Road, Belfast, BT2 7HD
The Points, Whiskey & Alehouse, opened in October 2016 and is a truly traditional Irish venue that replicates the city's culture and history, something that any student (especially one new to the city) should look to be doing.
The name ‘The Points’ has been inspired by the notorious area in New York City which was known as the turf of breakneck gangs of Irish Immigrants. The venue hosts traditional Irish and folk music 7 nights a week and has an extensive collection of ale and whiskey for any of you connoisseurs. A spot where you may not drink a lot as a student, but a necessary visit for all who call Belfast home.
See? What did we tell you? Belfast student clubs are perfect for a lively night out. And Belfast student bars are waiting for you to indulge in the Irish drinking culture, and listen to some incredible local live music alongside it. It's going to be a real treat to spend time here in your uni years.
Click or tap here to kick off Belfast freshers the right way!
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.
