Leeds Nightlife

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Leeds has a great reputation for its nightlife with an abundance of bars, pubs and a thriving music scene.
Spend an evening at the theatre or opera then visit one of the many clubs where you can dance the night away. Relax in a bar with river views or sample locally brewed beers at a real ale pub, the choice is yours.

Browse through our guides written by locals on nights out in Leeds.

Walk around the best historic pubs in Leeds

Written by Richard Smyth

Inside the historic Templar pub in Leeds city centre Quiz question: what do the fabled protectors of the Holy Grail have in common with the Anglo-Burmese War, Leeds Town Hall, 144 Test wickets, and the hero of the battle of Camperdown? The answer – which I’m sure you’ll have guessed – is that...

Favourite real ale pubs in Leeds city centre

Written by Richard Smyth

Inside the impressive Adelphi pub in Leeds city centre. Photo attribution: Thomas Ackroyd The pubs of Leeds – or, at least, the good pubs of Leeds – are strewn haphazardly about the city, some here, some there, others in the backside of nowhere, leaving the uninitiated drinker in grave danger of...

Written by Penny Brazier

Live music concert at 02 Academy. Copyright: Ed Fielding The festive revelry is over for another year, but never fear! The upcoming months of health and austerity needn’t be dull. Leeds is full to bursting with great live music over the next two months, with a range of exciting touring bands as well...

Written by Richard Smyth

Inside the Howard Assembly Room. Photo credit: Richard Moran On one side of New Briggate stands a gaudy slew of fried-chicken and kebab outlets. On the other side, in stark contrast, stands the dramatic façade of the Grand Theatre, a fifty-metre-long array of Gothic arches and Romanesque flourishes...

Written by Hannah Roberts

Riverside view of Calls Landing. Photo attribution: Gilly Bean. With summer finally here, why not take the time to peruse some of Leeds’ finest riverside establishments. All the bars that have been chosen are within a short distance of each other. This is the perfect opportunity to wile away a lazy...

Written by Carol Ferndale

Relaxing in the Mustard Pot beer garden, Chapel Allerton As summer approaches many of us start to yearn for the great outdoors, so what could be better than a pleasant afternoon or evening spent in a beer garden? Needless to say, Leeds is not short of places to enjoy the outdoor life with a pint or...

Written by Darren Cronian

Live music at the Cockpit Leeds has a thriving musical scene, and has produced many artists. These include both national chart topping bands such as Kaiser Chiefs, but also smaller, more local bands that play small venues around the city. In this guide I’ve featured a few of the more popular live...

Written by Darren Cronian

Like most of my nights out with friends in the city centre we all agree which pub we are going to start off at and then see where our legs take us. When you are out of with friends you try and cater for everyone and the good thing about Leeds is that there’s a lot of choice, including cocktail bars...

Written by Danny Pugsley

The Bracken Fox in Scarcroft, a family friendly pub With the nights now getting lighter, thoughts invariably begin to turn towards spring and summer and for those with children there is the relief of being able to spend more time outdoors with the dark winter weekends on the way out. There are plenty...

Great local pubs with open fires in Leeds

Written by Carol Ferndale

The Calverley Arms with it’s great open fire We have had a few people request a guide on cosy pubs in Leeds and come winter there’s nothing like snuggling up somewhere that is warm, friendly and welcoming, so it’s nice to find a pub where you can thaw out round a warm, cosy fireplace. So here...

Browse through our guides written by locals on Leeds Nightlife.