Mancunians love to party which is obvious from the amount of entertainment, dining and drinking establishments. There are over 500 licensed bars and clubs in Manchester and at weekends the city is overflowing with thousands of clubbers and partygoers searching for a sample of its diverse range of entertainment at a nightclub, restaurant, bar or live music venue.

Manchester’s clubs are famous and the huge student population has to be catered for, you are guaranteed never to be short of some lively night action in this city. Whether you are into rock, dance music, drum & bass, northern soul or jazz, there is something to suit all tastes.

With over 200 live music venues there is generally some new band or singer trying their luck either in a traditional pub atmosphere or a smoky dark underground club.  Band on the Wall, the oldest live music venue in the city, is due to open again this year, Night and Day, and The Roadhouse are responsible for a lot of new talent that surfaces from the city. The Northern Quarter is the trendy part of town where the music bars and clubs offer something new or an exciting new restaurant or bar is opening. This area is popular with all types as it is trendy and alternative. The likes of Centro Café Bar, and Matt and Phreds Jazz Club have made it a main hub for musicians, record labels, artists and designers of fashion.

Canal Street is Manchester’s gay village, flashy and colourful it is now popular with couples, hen nights and anyone looking for a lively and friendly night scene. Check out the gothic Via Fossa or the roof garden of Spirit. Once a year there is a festival held in the area to celebrate the gay community.
Castlefield is located on the west side of town and its bars and restaurants represent some of the most stylish and unique designs due to high railway arches and its canal side location. Deansgate Locks have been totally rejuvenated and lively bars host current DJ’s. Check out fancy Italian furnishings at Loaf, one of the biggest lounge bars in the Locks with a late license and DJs that give it a club atmosphere. Other clubs in this area open till the late hours are Revolution or the frenzied Baa Baa.

Funkademia is located on Central Street right in the heart of the city, one of Manchester’s longest running club nights expect a broad playlist of music of black origin from Motown, disco, soul-funk to rap and hip-hop. Nish Nash Nosh is at Mint Lounge in Oldham Street and plays everything from rare soul and funk to Balearic grooves. Sankeys is a favourite with clubbers and hosts big-name DJs playing overground house tunes on a Saturday. Po Na Na.is just off Oxford Road, a Moroccan den featuring something different every night including chilled out rare grooves and Latin beats. It is well-known for its jam sessions where some of Manchester's finest musical talents appear regularly.

Down at the Printworks is the sultry Paparazzi where you can find anything from wild student nights to ladies only nights. Otherwise, in the same complex, dance until the sun comes up at PURE along with 2000 others.
Although there are new bars and clubs opening up in the city constantly, the traditional pubs of the north are still plenty. There are a couple of Holt’s pubs selling their own brew of Joseph Holts along with Robinsons ales. The Lass O’Gowrie, off Oxford Road, brews its own beer and has a huge range on offer with nine real ales and good traditional wholesome food. On Rochdale Road is The Marble Arch Inn with a tempting array of in-house brews like Manchester Bitter, Ginger Marble and Lagonda. Sam’s Chop House serves Sam’s Best Bitter and has delicious dishes of rag-rolled steak and kidney pudding. Nearby is the associated Mr. Thomas’s Chop House, a 100 year old Victorian bar, restaurant and coffee shop with a great atmosphere.

Manchester Evening News Arena is the biggest music arena in the city, it can hold around 19,000 people and the stars that appear here are amongst the biggest names. Also popular with the big names are the Manchester Apollo and Manchester Academy. The Bridgewater Hall offers state-of-the-art sound and a diverse program including classical, jazz, Americana and World Music. The Palace Theatre holds musicals like South Pacific or Mamma Mia, and for experimental performance art and music try the Contact Theatre.

There are 7 casinos in Manchester; Manchester 235, Grosvenor Casino in Whitworth Street West, Circus Casino, Grosvenor Casino in Chinatown, Stanley Casino in Midland, Mint Casino Manchester and Manchester Super Casino in the Eastlands. The city recently won its bid to be the first in the country with a supercasino and will contain an entertainment complex with a swimming pool, restaurants, bars and a hotel. The plans include over 2,500 slot machines which will offer unlimited jackpots on the Sportcity complex.