Howdy folks:
Given as how there are only a handful of us at university in Northern Ireland I think we should attempt to provide a servie to students contemplating a degree at queens or J'town.
Given as how socialising is a major aspect of going to university and in the spirit of increasing the nationals alchohol tolerance I suggest that we list and give a short blurb about the pubs and clubs of belfast which are frequented by the student populus to allow people to see where could be good to go and where to avoid cos it's pants.
So if u fancy filling this in, give each place a score out of 10 and explain why, you don't have to do them all and if there is any I've missed please feel free to add them (in vaguely alphabetical order):
The Apartment:
Price: 2/10
Craic: 4/10
Drinks: 8/10
Location: 3/10
Overall: 5/10
One of the more up-market places you will ever go to, does beautiful cocktails and loads of them but you'll pay for the priveldge, location is central to the town but ages away from queens.
Aunty Annies:
Price: 5/10
Craic: 8/10
Drinks: 5/10
Location: 7/10
Overall: 7/10
One of the better nights out in belfast, good for sitting and supping with some mates and the craic is always mighty in aunty annies, don't personally recommend the music upstairs as it's a little...too alternative for my tastes. You can get Hoegarden here which is a lovely beer.
Bar Bacca:
Price: 2/10
Craic: 2/10
Drinks: 7/10
Location: 2/10
Overall: 4/10
You won't see many students here more graduates and young professionals and it's kinda hidden away in a backstreet near the europa, but don't let that fool you it does lovely cocktails and has an extensive bar.
Bar Seven:
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Location:
Overall:
I've never been here
Bar Twelve:
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Drinks:
Location:
Overall:
I've never been here
The Basement:
Price: 5/10
Craic: 4/10
Drinks: 5/10
Location: 3/10
Overall: 5/10
Directly across past city hall from the apartment, down a flight of stairs, not a bad bar the craic you have to make for yourself but it's never empty and it's never totally full so it's usually a good place for a few bevvies.
The Basin:
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Craic:
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Location:
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I've never been here
The Beach Club:
Price: 8/10
Craic: 6/10
Drinks: 9/10
Location: 2/10
Overall: 7/10
One of the better clubs belfast has to offer and if it wasn't in the odyssey a considerable distance from everything and a sure taxi journey for boozy travelers it would be much better, 3 points on the drinks scale were for the house cocktail 'The Mind Easer' on it's own. Does all drinks 2 pounds nights, one of the more cost-effective nights in belfast.
The Bot:
Price: 6/10
Craic: 8/10
Drinks: 6/10
Location: 9/10
Overall: 7/10
If you're a man United or ireland fan this is the place to watch them play, great atmosphere in here, I quite like it, the up-stairs part is a total sweat pit and don't leave drinking until you get up here as you'll struggle to get to the bar but otherwise can't fault the bot.
Budda:
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Location:
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Havn't been here personally and have heard mixed reports so if anyone wants to fill this one in that'd be good.
The Chelsea:
Price: 1/10
Craic: 2/10
Drinks: 7/10
Location: 4/10
Overall: 4/10
A little out of the way but worth a mention, great bar, really nice lay out, good drinks, but pricey and leave the trainers at home.
Dukes Hotel:
Price: 5/10
Craic: 2/10
Drinks: 5/10
Location: 8/10
Overall: 5/10
Not a fan of dukes, it's an ok place for a few drinks but not a good place for a night out as the dance floor is the size of my hand and the entire bar isn't much bigger.
The Eg:
Price: 5/10
Craic: 6/10
Drinks: 5/10
Location: 9/10
Overall: 7/10
I like the eg, I think it's a good night out and a good place for a few drinks, comfy soafs, and it's busy when the bot is busy cos it gets loads of the overflow, they have an irish traditional band on a tuesday night.
The Empire:
Price: 4/10
Craic: 3/10
Drinks: 6/10
Location: 8/0
Overall: 5/10
The empire blows hot and cold but the comedy night is wel worth going a look, they do live music now and then and their jazz night is also worth a look but it's a little pricey.
The Fly:
Price: 4/10
Craic: 4/10
Drinks: 7/10
Location: 8/10
Overall: 6/10
The fly is one of the quieter bars in the university area and I personally can't understand why, it's a nice bar, has two up-stairs dance floor, more than adequate bar areas and really nice drinks, just a little pricey but not spectacularly so.
The Globe
Price: 5/10
Craic: 6/10
Drinks: 6/10
Location: 9/10
Overall: 6/10
Belfasts kareoke bar, some nights be prepared to cover your ears, has lost popularity big time in the last year or two and sometimes the clientel isn't great but I still enjoy the globe for a change. Global Seduction is a lovely cocktail.
The hatfield:
Price: 5/10
Craic: 6/10
Drinks: 5/10
Location: 6/10
Overall: 5/10
Hmmm hatfield has taken a turn for the better in the last few years it's a really student friendly bar now, nice place, very old timey.
The Kings Head:
Price: 5/10
Craic: 4/10
Drinks: 5/10
Location: 1/10
Overall: 3/10
The kings head, been here a few times and it's really out of the way, not overly a student bar but still gets a reasonable student clientel, the beer garden is really nice, and as such it's in here cos it's a rarity in belfast.
Laveries:
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My endeering memory of laveries was it being shot up when I was in upper sixth so probably best not to take much from my ideas of this place, so I havn't filled it in, but the pool is good.
The Limelight:
Price: 6/10
Craic: 9/10
Drinks: 7/10
Location: 7/10
Overall: 8/10
Limelight is a great night out, there's a good atmosphere which isn't a criticism you can level at all bars in belfast and when it's tuesday night be prepared to talk to the world and it's wife, you can stand in the limelight and you'll eventually run into someone you know.
Llyods (aka The Bridge House):
Price: 9/10
Craic: 6/10
Drinks: 8/10
Location: 7/10
Overall: 7/10
Lloyds is a great bar, it's cheap, it does a massive range of drinks and it's quiet enough (volume wise) you can get a bit of a laugh going without having to scream at one another to get a conversation started. Great place to start a night but I wouldn't spend a whole night here.
The M Club:
Price: 4/10
Craic: 3/10
Drinks: 6/10
Location: 8/10
Overall: 5/10
The M club is hit and miss for me, it used to be the best night out in belfast with queues going up to the spar, but it's gone downhill, it's a good place if you enjoy commerical dance music and just want to have a laugh, it's a bit expensive and will either be busy or dead.
The Parlour:
Price: 5/10
Craic: 6/10
Drinks: 6/10
Location:10/10
Overall: 7/10
Ah the parlour, it's guarenteed to be ok all the time, it is rarely much worse and rarely much better the parlour is what you make of it really, located so centrally to the university that it should be declared a school.
Renshaws:
Price: 6/10
Craic: 7/10
Drinks: 5/10
Location: 7/10
Overall: 6/10
Renshaws...hmmm, it's heavily frequented by the residents of the holylands, renshaws is a pretty good bar, it's reasonably cheap and in a good location but it isn't always the best idea for a night out as it can be un-necessarily loud and cliquely.
Skye:
Price: 8/10
Craic: 6/10
Drinks: 7/10
Location: 3/10
Overall: 6/10
Skye, thursday night, cheapest night in beflast 1 pound per drink and as such the place is piled to the rafters. the dance floor is tiny and you'll struggle to get to the bar. The downstairs is nice to sit in for a few though.
Stiff Kitten:
Price: 5/10
Craic: 2/10
Drinks: 5/10
Location: 6/10
Overall: 4/10
Stiff kitten is a weird place, you either love it or hate it, I for one am not keen on it, location isn't bad but it's not a good atmopshere at times.
Students Union:
Price: 7/10
Craic: 6/10
Drinks: 5/10
Location: 10/10
Overall: 7/10
Hmmm well I start this off by saying it's the most expensive students union in the UK so don't be expecting overly cheap booze, and personally I prefer Lloyds for cheap drink but there are three different types of night at the union:
The Speakeasy: It's always way too loud in here the music is turned up to loudly and there is only a small dancefloor which is used pretty much exclusively on st patricks day and when the union itself is all open. Drinks aren't bad and there is loads of comfy seating which is a bonus.
The mandella hall: This place is a good laugh, it's being done up at the moment but this is where all the dancing happens, it's a good laugh and when the union is opened at night it's usually always full to the rafters, just don't expect to get a drink.
The : This place has two major problems, 1. it's way to loud in here and 2. there is 0 mobile reception. The food is really nice and I strongly recommend the pizza.
Thompsons:
Price: 5/10
Craic: 7/10
Drinks: 5/10
Location: 4/10
Overall: 5/10
Thompsons, this is where you go if you're after a late night (most clubs in beflast close at 1am, thompsons closes at 3), it can be a very very sleazy place to visit more so than most, whether you're male or female and the bar closes at 1, so if you fancy dancing away late into the night this could be a good place for you but it's absolutely ROASTING! I'm not keen on Thompsons had 3 jackets stolen here.
There we go folks hope thats helpful, feel free to add anything you wish.