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: 11th Aug 2023

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 bars and clubs too. 

And since there are so many Manchester student clubs and bars, 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 instead of revising. 

Click on the venue names below to learn more and discover upcoming events.

 

Manchester student clubs

Hidden

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.

Comprised of 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 either.  

Hidden also hosts plenty of Homoelectric events that are popular with the LGBTQ+ community but everyone’s welcome! 

 

Find tickets for events at Hidden

 


 

The White Hotel 

The-WHITE-HOTEL-presents

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 decor 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

 


 

42s

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Location: 2 Bootle St in Manchester M2 5GU

Not everyone likes untz untz tunes, so 42s (actually called 42nd Street but not many call it that) offers indie bangers with parties in 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, perfect for making new mates. Bosh. 

 

Find tickets for events at 42s 

 


 

Joshua Brooks

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 morning, 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)

Depot-Mayfield

Photo: Depot Mayfield / Facebook.com 

Location: 11 Baring St in Manchester M1 2PY

If you love clubbing, you’ll know about 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)

 


 

SOUP

SOUP

Photo: SOUP / Facebook.com 

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

Small but mighty, SOUP (once named 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

 


  

Mint Lounge

Mint-Lounge-NQ

Photo: Mint Lounge NQ / Facebook.com

Location: 46-50 Oldham St in Manchester M4 1LE

Situated slap-bang in the middle of Manchester's buzzing Northern Quarter, Mint Lounge, the district's only nightclub, has long been a stopping place for those who love partying and club culture.

The open-plan basement venue, a hit with the city's student population and out-of-towners alike, is the home to many sought-after club night events. One of those is Manchester's longest-running club night, Funkademia. 

Curating a night of sublime funk, soul, disco, R&B, and hip-hop, the Funkademia DJs regularly draw in the masses who love timeless bangers. 

If you act fast, you can take advantage of Funkademia's killer summer offer of £5 tickets, no booking fee, and a free shot. Tasty.

 

Find tickets for events at Mint Lounge

  


 

The Deaf Institute 

www-thedeafinstitute-co-uk

Photo: www.thedeafinstitute.co.uk

Location: 135 Grosvenor St in Manchester M1 7HE

The Deaf Institute is an independent bar and venue based in the heart of the Manchester Met Uni Campus just off Oxford Road. 

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, 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 

 


 

Venue 

Venue-Manchester

Photo: Venue Manchester / Facebook.com 

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

Another one that caters to people who need a break from club tunes, Venue has Indiependence, Live Forever, Supernova, and the odd ABBA disco. Depending on the night, you've got indie, dance tunes, Manc anthems, pop, and... ABBA.  

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 

 


 

 

Satan's Hollow

Satans-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, and afterparties following a big heavy band's gig in the city (like Rancid and Spirit Box). 

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

 


Manchester student bars

YES

YES

Photo: YES / Facebook.com 

Location: 38 Charles St in Manchester M1 7DB

YES is always popping. They host a fair few events and club nights there but the bar is also solid. There’s plenty of space for dancing and a roof terrace that's decorated with houseplants and feels 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 it to, head to MOJOs. 

On weekends, it stays open until 5 am and 4 am on every other day, 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, rock and roll themed, and serves up cocktails. 

  


 

Big Hands

Big-Hands-Bar

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 decor inside, and low sofas, Big Hands is a little unusual but that's why we love it.  

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. 

 

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 Manchester student bars 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. A bit chaotic, 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 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.  

  


 

Hatch  

Hatch

Photo: Hatch / Facebook.com 

Location: Oxford Road in Manchester M1 7ED

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

Hatch is a bit of everything. There are bars, street food traders, a coffee shop, two hairdressers, a trainer and handbag cleaning shop, a nail salon, a reworked and upcycled vintage clothes shop, and even a place that offers DJ lessons. 

There’s always people in there having a bev, either indoors or outside from award-winning bar, OI, with eight taps and over 70 cans and bottles, or Miami Ice, which serves plenty of cocktails alongside a wide range of rum and whisky. 

It's not the cheapest but it's unique, pretty cool, and they have drink deals on Sundays. 

 

Find cheap places to eat in Manchester 

 


  

The Footage

The-Footage

Photo: The Footage / Facebook.com 

Location: Grosvenor St in Manchester M1 7DZ

The Footage is dog friendly, so that says it all. We're there! It's also student-friendly and shows sports including the Women's World Cup, Prem League, Netball World Cup, cricket, and rugby.

It also has some solid deals like the happy hour - pints from £3, wine from £2, double G&T from £4.50 - and regular deal days like Friday Double Ups, Craft and Cocktails Thursday, and Wing Wednesday with 30p wings. 

 


 

256 Wilmslow Road

256-Wilmslow-Road-1

Photo: 256 Wilmslow Road / Facebook.com

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

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.

There's also a beer garden, a karaoke room, and it shows live sports. 

 


 

Since Manchester will be your home for the next few years, you’ll need to know the best places to hang out 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.

 

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Header: THE WAREHOUSE PROJECT / Facebook.com