Best & Cool Bars in Londonderry

"One of the most recent additions to Derry’s dining scene, Walled City Brewery – a brewery and restaurant in one and the first of its kind in Northern Ireland – opened its doors in May 2015 with veteran brewer James Huey and his wife Louise at the helm. Small pinxho-style eats, such as mini Thai pork cakes or Donegal smoked salmon blinis are served alongside bigger dishes like house-smoked, beer-braised pulled pork with gherkin and slaw in a brioche bun. Naturally, Walled City’s craft brews make the perfect accompaniment to its eclectic eats – try the flagship pale ale Boom or its refreshing pilsner, Kicks."

"Brickwork is one of those restaurants that maintain your interest for return visits because the menu is so vast. It stretches from the specialised Asian cuisine, combining it with a fresh, local taste. The staff make what is already a wonderful restaurant and create an atmosphere and standard that makes it one of the best places to eat in Derry."

"Brickwork Lounge is one of the city's hottest bars & live music hubs. The look and feel of this bar strikes us as classy yet also keeps things casual with its regular live music & comedy events. A firm favourite for a tipple within the city walls!"

"This traditional Derry watering hole has been a local favourite since 1922 and still maintains its original design and interior to some extent. Located on the lively Strand road in the heart of the city, The Grand Central Bar while it may not seem too grand in size, it surely has a larger-than-life personality, with its cosy atmosphere, friendly staff, great food and excellent beer menu, it is a relaxing place to spend an afternoon. The Grand Central Bar is also known for its infamous quiz nights and live local music with acts from far and wide."

"Established in 1922 and still retaining much of its original character, the Grand Central Bar was reinvented in recent years as a thriving city centre attraction. With its cosy atmosphere, friendly staff, and great beer menu, it is a great place to wile away an afternoon. It’s also a great place to hear local live music."

"Grand Central Bar might not be too grand in size, but surely has a larger-than-life personality: it tends to get quite busy in the evenings with both locals and tourists enjoying a drink or two, or taking part in the pub quizzes conducted here weekly. Some food options are also available."

"Widely known as Northern Ireland’s premier jazz club, Bennigans Bar is a young and vibrant musician-owned venue bar with a broad range of world-class entertainment on every night. See its popular Saturday afternoon jazz session with local music legend Gay McIntyre and the John Leighton Trio every week at 5.30pm (admission £5). Often described as a cultural gem of the city, the site has a fantastic history and played its part in the mass emigration of the Irish to America in the late 1800s."

"Perhaps surprisingly little-known, Bennigans Bar and Jazz Club is itself owned by a musician.. Some shows (especially those on Saturday nights) are very popular and require pre-booking. Bennigans is also one of the select few places serving complimentary tapas along with drinks."

"This modern hotel is centrally located within the historic city walls just around the corner from the bars and restaurants of Shipquay Street and Waterloo Street and has 90 rooms and three suites. The Maldron does a mean afternoon tea in the Lyric Bar – available from £12.50 per person or £15 with a glass of sparkling wine – including finger sandwiches, butter, cream and jam with your scones, a selection of mini desserts and freshly brewed coffee or tea. There’s also live music every Saturday night from 8pm."

"The lady at the front desk is very patient. My English is not very good. I blame Bei Ai’s dialect for being too heavy. The cards are called keizi. The breakfast in the hotel is great, the breakfast of absolute conscience is much better than in the country, my sister offers you not a cup of coffee, but a pot"

"This chilled place is one of the best locations in Derry to grab lunch. They have a daily ‘lunch box’ deal which you can either eat in or take out. But it’s also a great evening spot that serves yummy cocktails and has fab live music."

"A smart purpose-built hotel, Da Vinci’s is close to the banks of the River Foyle, 15-minutes’ walk north of the city centre. The 64 bedrooms offer more space than many hotels in the heart of town and provide complimentary newspapers and bespoke toiletries, while the Morrisons Suite has a super king bed and vanity area. The wood-panelled Da Vinci’s Bar opened in 1986 and was one of the city’s Famous Five top bars, all named after painters."

"The hotel is a bit dated, but the beds are comfortable and the rooms are clean. A certain distance from the city center, suitable for self-driving, convenient parking. There is a Chinese restaurant by the seaside of the cathedral when driving fast. The price is not cheap, but it tastes good. There are Chinese waiters who can help with ordering.""Not bad～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～"

"This four-star, multi-award-winning hotel is located on the Culmore Road. Within a 5-minute drive of the city centre, and a 15-minute walk to Brunswick Moviebowl, there is much entertainment to suit all ages close by. The hotel offers a range of comfortable rooms and suites."

"22/02/2021: We ordered from Spaghetti Junction at the weekend. It did not disappoint.We ordered a spicy pizza I can not remember thr name...It was Delicious. We also ordered spaghetti and garlic bread."

"This newly established bar boasts the best craft beer from all over Ireland as well as some of the tastiest cocktails in the North. With wooden booths, a long bar, leather sofas and roaring fires, this spacious Derry hotspot hasn’t sacrificed comfort and cosiness in its bid to create a hip, modern space for you to enjoy. Blackbird hosts live music many nights during the week and offers something a little different to other pubs in Derry, slightly more of a grown up, old school feel with a modern twist."

"With wooden booths, leather sofas and roaring fires, the Blackbird hasn't sacrificed comfort and cosiness in its bid to create a modern space. The kitchen serves snacks, wraps and burgers (mains £8 to £8.50)...."

"The museum is run mostly by relatives of those who lost their lives in the horrific events that took place on Bloody Sunday and each had a personal story to tell. Our guide told the story of his grandfather Patrick Doherty who was shot in the back while crawling on his hands and knees to try to avoid getting caught in the crossfire, during, what had begun as, a peaceful civil rights march. Patrick was 31, had 6 children and was unarmed."

"The Museum of Free Derry opened in 2007 in order to tell the story of what happened in our city during the period 1968 – 1972, and is popularly known as ‘Free Derry.' The museum includes exhibits that look at the civil rights era, the Battle of the Bogside, Internment, Bloody Sunday, and Operation Motorman."

"Just off Rossville St, this excellent museum chronicles the history of the Bogside, the Civil Rights Movement and the events of Bloody Sunday through photographs, newspaper reports, film clips, interactive..."

"Located in the heart of the city mid-way between two of Derry’s most famous theatres, Badger’s is the perfect place to suit all tastes. A fine polished-brass and stained-glass Victorian pub with wood-panelled nooks and crannies, and an outdoor terrace, Badgers offers a quiet haven on Orchard Street in the City Centre. No matter what time of day you pop into Badgers bar, there always seems to be a few locals propping up the bar, which helps keep the atmosphere authentic."

"This comfortable Victorian-style venue is a popular local meeting spot and the ideal place to collapse into after a long day. The pub is family-friendly, and offers a varied menu of European, Chinese, Mexican, and Indian dishes. Try the steak and Guinness pie."

"A smart purpose-built hotel, Da Vinci’s is close to the banks of the River Foyle, 15-minutes’ walk north of the city centre. The 64 bedrooms offer more space than many hotels in the heart of town and provide complimentary newspapers and bespoke toiletries, while the Morrisons Suite has a super king bed and vanity area. The wood-panelled Da Vinci’s Bar opened in 1986 and was one of the city’s Famous Five top bars, all named after painters."

"The hotel is a bit dated, but the beds are comfortable and the rooms are clean. A certain distance from the city center, suitable for self-driving, convenient parking. There is a Chinese restaurant by the seaside of the cathedral when driving fast. The price is not cheap, but it tastes good. There are Chinese waiters who can help with ordering.""Not bad～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～"

"This four-star, multi-award-winning hotel is located on the Culmore Road. Within a 5-minute drive of the city centre, and a 15-minute walk to Brunswick Moviebowl, there is much entertainment to suit all ages close by. The hotel offers a range of comfortable rooms and suites."

"This traditional Derry watering hole has been a local favourite since 1922 and still maintains its original design and interior to some extent. Located on the lively Strand road in the heart of the city, The Grand Central Bar while it may not seem too grand in size, it surely has a larger-than-life personality, with its cosy atmosphere, friendly staff, great food and excellent beer menu, it is a relaxing place to spend an afternoon. The Grand Central Bar is also known for its infamous quiz nights and live local music with acts from far and wide."

"Established in 1922 and still retaining much of its original character, the Grand Central Bar was reinvented in recent years as a thriving city centre attraction. With its cosy atmosphere, friendly staff, and great beer menu, it is a great place to wile away an afternoon. It’s also a great place to hear local live music."

"Grand Central Bar might not be too grand in size, but surely has a larger-than-life personality: it tends to get quite busy in the evenings with both locals and tourists enjoying a drink or two, or taking part in the pub quizzes conducted here weekly. Some food options are also available."

"20A Queens Quay, Derry BT48 7AS, Northern IrelandReservations, Seating, Waitstaff, Television, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free WifiEuropean, British, Gastropub, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free OptionsLunch, Dinner, Brunch, Late NightHK$55 - HK$165+44 28 7137 0977"

"Quaywest is a trendy, atmospheric wine bar and restaurant with a delicious international menu and very reasonable prices. Housed inside a 19th century building, the establishment enjoys a unique atmosphere and serves primarily British/European fare."

"A vibrant busy gastro pub under 5 minutes walk from the Station B&B (and all downhill!) Mon-Thur they offer up to 40% off, making it well worth the trip."