Ten Great Late Night Spots in Manchester

We’ve all been there before. You’re out on the town, the drink and conversation are flowing and you’re having a grand old time. Then you hear the crushing sound of final call at the bar. Your options: call it a night or head to a sweaty dancefloor. Either way your chilled night is coming to an end.

It doesn’t have to be this way, though. OK, Manc is no Barcelona or Madrid, but there are a few great pubs that don’t pull down the shutters or crank up the techno come the witching hour. There are even the odd spots where you can grab a post-midnight snack…

Late night Drinking

The Castle

66 Oldham Street

If you’re after a proper boozer that doesn’t turn on the disco lights come midnight, you could do a lot worst than this Northern Quarter stalwart. As well as its well-stocked bar there are two cosy lounges, while the back room plays host to some of the most intimate gigs in town. The staff are super friendly, the jukebox is on point and there’s a huge selection of craft and continental beers. It's a fine spot for starting off a night out but also a great place to end it too.
Open till 2am Fri & Sat; 1am Mon-Thu; 12am Sun

The Whiskey Jar

14 Tariff Street

Doing exactly what it says on the tin, The Whiskey Jar boasts Manchester’s finest selection of malts. In this cosy bar you can sup your whisky late into the night and on the weekend into the early morning.
Open till 2am Fri & Sat; 1am Thu; 12am Sun-Thu

Soup Kitchen

31-33 Spear Street

Soup, as its loyal locals call it, is many things to many people. During the day it’s perfect for a quick bite to eat from its canteen-style kitchen. As the evening draws in it’s one of the best joints in the NQ for some post-work drinks. And when the sun goes down its basement offers up some of the liveliest club nights in town.

While those with the energy can get sweaty down in its bowels, upstairs retains its more demure vibe where you can chat and chill into the wee hours – you can even grab a plate from the canteen till around 10pm. Grab a window seat and you can while away the night watching the sweaty hordes come up for breath.
Open till 4am Fri & Sat; 1am Thur; 11pm Sun-Wed

Dulcimer

567 Wilbraham Road

Another salt of the earth boozer open till the wee hours, Dulcimer is the location of choice from Chortlonites who like to burn the candle at both ends. There’s a miniscule dance floor by a DJ booth if you insist on a boogie, but plenty of seating on the first floor if you’re in the mood for supping a pint. Ploughman's lunch, pies and toasties stay on the menu till 9pm.
Open till 1.30am Fri & Sat; 12.30am Mon-Thu; 11.30pm Sun

Lock 91

Lock Keepers Cottage

This quirky joint is a refuge at the barmiest end of Deansgate. On the canal side of this converted 19th century cottage you can lounge with a drink taking in the night air, while within its warren-like interior you’ll find various room spread across three floors with ample comfy sofas and church-style pews. Cocktails are its speciality but you’ll find a pretty tasty selection of ales, wines and spirits too.
Open till 2am Fri & Sat; 12am Sun-Thu

Matt and Phred's

64 Tib Street

This cracking jazz bar serves up live music past midnight six nights a week. Pizzas and sharing plates are served till late and behind the bar you’ll find a selection of wine and cocktails to rival any bar in the city. In the words of the Fast Show’s Louis Balfour: jazz, nice!
Open till 1pm Fri & Sat; 12.30pm Mon-Thu

Fallow Cafe

2A Landcross Road

The Fallow is a gem. A fave of students due to its Fallowfield location, this nifty little cafe is famous for its homely grub and chaotic gigs. On busy nights (which is most of them during term time) the kitchen stays serving till 10pm, and given that it caters for students, weekends don’t really factor into it: the cafe opens till 2.30am every day of the week.
Open till 2.30pm Mon-Sun

Late night Dining

Leo’s Fish Bar

12 Oldham St

The best chip shop in Manchester town centre, Leo’s is where many a night out in the Northern Quarter reach their greasy end. The chippie teas keep coming past 4am on the weekends.
Open till 5am Sat; 4am Fri; 12am Sun-Thu

Slice

1a Stevenson Square

Slice isn’t any old pizza parlour. Here you’ll find “pizza al taglio” – meaning by the slice – made from scratch each day. And the combos are to die for – try finding something as good as an aubergine, spinach and goat’s cheese pizza from your local mega-franchise, and you'll see what we mean. Best of all, it’s open late. Perfect for winding down post-gig or fueling up pre-club.
Open till 1am Fri & Sat; 10pm Mon-Thu; 5pm Sun

Al Jazeera

22 Wilmslow Rd

The Curry Mile has a great late-night vibe, with many of its restaurants, shisha bars and sweet shops open till midnight or later. Its most dependable nightowl, however, is Middle Eastern gem Al Jazeera. Succulent roast meats and heavenly pilau are its specialty.
Open till 2.30am Mon-Sun

Kwok Man

28-32 Princess St

Chinatown is the other part of town where you’ll find restaurants keeping their ovens burning past midnight. Kwok Man is a post-pub institution; sometimes you just need Peking duck at 4am, and they're happy to oblige.
Open till 4am Mon-Sat; 12am Sun

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