Bars & Pubs

Oxford Road Corridor is packed with a great range of bars and pubs where you can get your fill of cocktails, spirits and any other liquor you can think of. 

New York might be the city that never sleeps, but Manchester gives it a run for its money. The Oxford Road Corridor is packed with a great range of bars and pubs where you can get your fill of cocktails, spirits and any other liquor you can think of. 

And we shouldn’t forget the superb selection of bar food available in many of these venues. We’ve come a long way from the days of peanuts and a bag of crisps – now you can tuck into some high-quality snacks at all times of the day or night. 

You’ll find bars dedicated to all kinds of drinks along the entire stretch of the Oxford Road Corridor. You’ll discover traditional-style pubs that have been around since the early 1800s, then a short walk away, you can have futuristic cocktails at a state-of-the-art bar. Add in the range of bar-friendly activities on offer, such as pool, mini golf and live music, and you’ll have something fresh and exciting to do, practically every single night of the year. 

From fun-packed bar crawls to putting the world to rights over a pint of Manchester-brewed craft ale, these are the venues where memories are made and lifelong friendships are formed. Best of all, you can find a destination suitable for every price point, whether you want a pocket-friendly pint or a glass of Champagne to celebrate those big occasions. 

However you prefer to spend your time in Manchester, the bars and pubs on Oxford Road have something for everyone, no matter who you’re out with or what the weather is like outside. Just make sure you get your round in – that’s one tradition that won’t ever change.

Image of sign outside of YES, one of the many student pubs and bars on oxford road
Student Pubs and Bars

With thousands of students arriving in Manchester each year, there’s no shortage of student pubs and bars around Oxford Road.

An image of an empty O2 Ritz Manchester with an impressive lighting one of the live music venues on the Oxford Road Corridor
Live Music

Manchester is undeniably one of the UK hotspots for live music. With many of its most iconic venues based on the Oxford Road Corridor.

More places to drink around Oxford Road

Big Hands

Big Hands at the South end of Oxford Road may be small, but it comes with added rock n’ roll swagger, a great atmosphere and a lovely roof garden.

BrewDog Manchester Outpost

Head to BrewDog Manchester Outpost at University Green for equity for punks, and quality beer for connoisseurs.

Brickhouse Social

Brickhouse Social is an exciting place where bar meets restaurant and all are welcome.

Bunny Jackson’s Juke Joint

Bunny Jackson’s is a late-night music venue, dive bar and American diner on First Street. Expect cocktails, cold beer and chicken wings.

Canvas

A wide-ranging space, combining a restaurant, bar, gig space, discussion centre and more.

Contact Bar & Kitchen

Contact has teamed up with one of Manchester’s most-loved street food venues, GRUB to bring Oxford Road an exciting new food and beverage offering.

Ducie Arms

Ducie Arms is a traditional pub near Manchester Science Park, with top-class pub food, real ales and a cracking atmosphere.

Gorilla

Since opening in 2012, Gorilla has proved itself as Manchester’s definitive mid-sized modern gig venue and one of the city’s best bar and kitchens.

HIT

Expected to open at the end of summer, HIT at Circle Square is a speciality ping pong bar serving up top quality drinks and pizza.

Hyatt Regency Manchester

Hyatt Regency Manchester is an elegant, modern hotel set in the heart of Oxford Road Corridor.

Junkyard Golf Manchester

Located on First Street, Junkyard Golf Club is the home of cocktails, crazy golf and an even more crazy night out.

Kro Bar

Kro Bar, Manchester is an independent pub and music venue housed (somewhat ironically) in the former Temperance Society building.

Navarro Lounge

Find Navarro Lounge just off Oxford Road on University Green, a modern and welcoming chain bar with excellent choices of food.

North Taproom

North Taproom serves up everything from small-batch craft ale to high-end cocktails alongside a well-designed menu of Asian street food.

ÖL Nano Brewery & Bar

ÖL Nano Brewery & Bar at Hatch is a place where you can always expect quality, inventive beers.

Peveril Of The Peak

Peveril Of The Peak is Manchester’s most iconic pub adorned with the sorts of bottle green, yellow and brown Victorian tiles that are a reclamation yard’s dream.

Rain Bar

This huge three-floor pub, formerly a Victorian warehouse, then an umbrella factory (hence the name), has one of the city centre’s largest beer gardens.

Retro Bar Manchester

Retro Bar is a longstanding alternative venue which you can find on Sackville Street, just a stone’s throw from the likes of Yes and Joshua Brooks. A cosy space housed within a 1960s modernist building, Retro Bar is suitably fitted out in a, well, retro style. They do food here and the drinks are as well priced as anywhere in […]

Revolution Oxford Road

Revolution Oxford Road is a go-to for crowd-pleasing nights out in Manchester, whether you’re touring the city or making Revs your destination.

Sandbar

Sandbar, just off Oxford Road in Manchester, is a well-loved watering hole, with a great selection of ales and some eccentric seating.

Society Manchester

Society Manchester is a glorious indoor and outdoor space in the very heart of the city, with several street food vendors to choose from and a range of high-quality drinks.

Tahi

Tahi is the first restaurant of its kind in Manchester, bringing a myriad of flavours direct from New Zealand to the city. A must-visit culinary destination on Oxford Road.

The Briton’s Protection

An iconic pub with an impressive whiskey list running into the hundreds. A welcoming atmosphere and a sprawling beer garden.

The Courtyard

The Courtyard is a mecca for sports-loving students with a huge amount of TV screens, a massive beer garden and bargain booze.

The Flour and Flagon

The Flour and Flagon pub has a range of cask beers, gins and a menu of “honest grub” which includes burgers, pies, grills and a range of desserts.

The Font

The Font Manchester is a cracking bar found just off Oxford Road on New Wakefield St where it’s been for over 20 years.

The Footage

The Footage is probably the defining student pub of Oxford Road, now refitted for quality food, drinks and sports.

The Gasworks Brewbar

Gasworks is a repurposed industrial space on First Street that’s now used for quality drinking and dining.

The Lass O’ Gowrie

Take a seat by the river at The Lass O’ Gowrie and watch the world go by in this refined and ancient watering hole.

The Old Abbey Taphouse

The Old Abbey Taphouse is a pub in a community hub, and one of Hulme’s true gems. Come for the beers, stay for the arts and culture activities.

The Refuge

The Refuge, at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, is a luxurious, modern restaurant, housed in a magnificent, Alfred Waterhouse designed, Victorian brick and terracotta building offers 10,000 sq ft of drinking and dining for everyone and anyone with the instruction “Come As You Are”.

The Salisbury

A rock music-friendly venue where everyone can enjoy a pint in one of Manchester’s most historic pubs.

The Salutation

The Salutation is one of Manchester’s most historic pubs – thriving right in the heart of the Oxford Road Corridor for over 200 years.

The Temple

Originally called The Temple of Convenience owing to its former life as a public toilet block, this is a tiny bar with some of the finest bathroom graffiti in town.

The Thirsty Scholar

The Thirsty Scholar is a free music venue, pub and nightclub on Oxford Road serving vegan pub food including all-day breakfasts.

Turing Tap

Located at the south end of Oxford Road between the universities, hospital site and Whitworth Park, the Turing Tap is a handy pub with an extensive, all-day food menu.

YES

Four floors of YES with something for everyone – including a rooftop bar, two live music spaces, a club space, DJs and extensive coffee, street food and bar selection.

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