Broken up into six main nightlife hotspots, the Toon has distinct areas for different crowds. The Diamond Strip attracts a wild, Geordie Shore following, where the seriously posh Quayside sees sophisticated stag groups enjoy civilised nights. For the craft ale lover, Grey and Dean Streets are where to head, however, if you’re after sports bar, casinos and big clubs, The Gate will be more your style. Newcastle’s Bigg Market is the ultimate rowdy night out, and Jesmond is a Happy Hour heaven.
01. The Diamond Strip
- Home to Geordie Shore’s biggest nights out
- Newcastle’s SW1 - ideal for celeb and VIP spotting
- Trendy, classy and exclusive (so make sure you scrub up…)
The Diamond Strip is like the W1 of London – trendy, suave and expensive. With ‘diamond’ denoting its exclusivity; these upmarket and cool bars and clubs attract Newcastle’s VIPs – celebrities, the Geordie Shore crew, footballers and their adoring female fans. It truly is the place to be and be seen. These bars attract a mature crowd, and while they’re not exclusively student-free, you wouldn’t get into any of these bars with a pair of Converse trainers and ironic spectacles.
Just a minutes’ walk from Central Station, the main Diamond Strip is set on Collingwood Street and extends to a couple of bars on Mosley Street. The bars are united by their bohemian-luxe interiors and sultry, seductive atmospheres – exposed brickwork, lavish décor and plush ornate sofas in cosy little corners. ChachiBuchi is a highlight – with chalet style-deco and an exotic drinks menu. Verano is like ChachiBuchi’s more exotic sister – with summer vibes and filled with tequila. Revolution is a vodka bar set in a luxurious former bank with 30ft ceilings and marble pillars, and Bohemia is a boutique lounge with a ‘secret garden’, where you can book booths or beds (depending on where the night takes you). You’ve also got Bijoux, Tup Tup Palace and Howlers to stumble into. If The Diamond Strip sounds like your kind of night out, whack on your muscle-fit designer tees and false tan, and party hard with the Geordies on our Diamond Strip bar crawl.
02. The Bigg Market
- Cheap and cheerful
- Can get pretty rowdy
- Located in the centre of the city
You’ve probably heard of Newcastle’s Bigg Market – its reputation precedes it for a reason. It has its place on a certain sort of night out, as long as you know what you’re in for – but don’t head here if you’re after civilised G&Ts or sophisticated surroundings. However, sometimes you want somewhere that doesn’t take itself seriously – somewhere the drinks are cheap and cheerful, and you can abandon inhibition, dance unashamedly to nostalgic tunes and channel the days of your youth.
Cosy Joe's welcomes fancy dress, and is a cracking place to start a stag night. They have a karaoke bar upstairs, ‘tequila time’, and ‘party-pods’ that you can book for your stag do, with a push-button drinks service. The Bigg Market also boasts Filthy’s – with an outdoor beer terrace, live music and a rowdy atmosphere every night of the week. Opposite Filthy’s is the German-themed Beir Keller – where you can channel your inner Bavarian and get tanked up on steins. Mushroom Bar, just around the corner, is super popular as they offer really cheap trebles. With booze prices low and spirits high, on a Bigg Market bar crawl, you will end up literally crawling.
03. The Quayside
- Upmarket and classy (leave the penis costumes at home for this one)
- Overlooking iconic landmarks such as The Tyne Bridge, The Baltic and The Sage
- Posh nosh and expensive drinks aplenty
This awesome area of Newcastle and Gateshead surrounds the picturesque River Tyne – which has become the city’s epicentre for modern arts, music and culture. However, at night, Newcastle Quayside, comes to life with upmarket and trendy bars, set against the mesmerising riverfront and combines its party atmosphere with epic views. The Pitcher and Piano is by far the most popular venue here, for both its stylish glass-walled building and its proximity to the spectacular Millennium Bridge, which is illuminated at night with changing coloured lights.
Livello is a few minutes’ walk up the bank and is a swanky bar that our very own Cheryl Cole has been known to frequent. But fear not, there are lots of fantastic options for us mere mortals too. They have a no-fancy dress policy, so keep this in mind if you’re dressed up – inflatable penises will not be well received here (weird). The Bridge Tavern is one of those new ultra-cool venues with exposed brickwork and an onsite micro-brewery - it takes itself a bit seriously, but in a good way. They pride themselves on quality, so it’s excellent for swanky drinks and proper beer and it has a stylish outdoor terrace directly underneath the Tyne Bridge. To join us on a Newcastle Quayside crawl, take a look at our swankiest of bar crawls in The Toon.
04. Grey Street / Dean Street / Pilgrim Street
- Sophisticated, older crowd
- Lined with craft beer bars, traditional pubs and high-end haunts
- Runs from Grey’s Monument to Quayside
Grey and Dean Streets runs down from the famous Monument to the quayside. Pilgrim Street runs parallel to it and there are definitely a few places worth a mention, especially if you’re a real ale lover. You want to get yourself on our Newcastle real ale bar crawl... On Pilgrim Street you have Alvino's – with an art-deco feel and interesting interior features – they have a football table and a heated outdoor terrace; a bit less traditional boutique bar and a bit more alternative (they also serve amazing pizzas). Bierrex is worth a visit if you're into your experimental beers - with 31 custom made pumps boasting ever changing beers from the keg and cask.
Pleased to Meet You is on a little cobbled street which adjoins Grey Street to the legendary Bigg Market. It’s a modern, stylish gin bar (and definitely where the cool kids hang out) - but they serve much more than just gin. From traditional lagers and ales, to expertly mixed cocktails, to bubbly served in champagne saucers - it's the place to be.
05. Jesmond / Osborne Road
- Best Happy Hour deals in town
- Student heavy population
- Three minute Metro / five minute taxi into Newcastle
Osborne Road, Jesmond's main nightlife hub, is one of Newcastle’s most popular places to start the night and is just a few minutes away from the city centre. The upmarket bars attract a swanky crowd and the clientele dress to impress, with admirable commitment. Fortunately, all of the bars and restaurants are, practically, on top of each other, so you won’t need to walk far in your Sunday finest (nor will you see Geordie girls in coats – that particular stereotype is true).
Osborne Road comes into its own in the summer – all of the bars open up onto the front street and there is a sunny festival spirit. However, the evenings and colder months offer a bit more sophistication (as much as you can get in a student heavy district), with the trees adorned with fairy lights and heaters outside for those who haven’t been hardened by the bitter north-east weather. Osbornes is the biggest and best on the road. The centre of the drinking districts nightlife has two mega bars, beer from around the world and even hosts FIFA gaming nights. Likewise, Spy Bar bills itself as the top sports stop of the street – home to three big screens, eight flat screens and every game imaginable. A little further down the road, you’ve also got The Holy Hobo – Jesmond’s Geordie Shore venue. It’s dark, mysterious and serves alcohol by the (popcorn) bucket load. Osborne Road also houses several hotels, with lots of options for that all-important recovery breakfast. To make your stag do even simpler - we've put all this together in our Jesmond stag do bar crawl.
06. The Gate
- Popular with stag and hen groups
- Sports bars, cinemas, restaurants and clubs all under one roof
- Large casino within complex
The Gate complex is known as a ‘proper’ drinking venue. It’s popular with big groups and stag and hen parties, due to the collection of bars and clubs in close proximity to each other – all conveniently located indoors away from the Geordie climate. For bars, you’ve got some classics like Lloyds No. 1 Keel Row – part of the Wetherspoons chain – renowned for its dimly lit atmosphere and traditionally cheap drinks. Players is a sports bar with a cheeky edge – the barmaids wear American cheerleader outfits and take to spontaneous podium dancing throughout the night.
There are also some more upmarket bars here, like the upbeat and trendy Beyond lounge-club. The 24 hour Aspers casino is also a great place to spend a few hours on a stag do night, if you’re fancying a flutter. Just outside The Gate, you have Tiger Tiger - a massive club where you can party 'til morning.
Now that we've sold you on Newcastle (never in doubt) - you can find out even more on The Toon on our Newcastle stag weekends page. Or, you can even download yourself a free, in-depth guide to Newcastle, with everything you could possibly need to know about a stag do in our Geordie homeland.