3 Best Nightlife in Northern Ireland

Inside a deconsecrated church, the Music Hall has been one of the city's leading music venues for more than 30 years. Most nights are devoted to concerts from local groups and tribute acts, while stand-up comedy shows are usually on Tuesday—TV personality Patrick Kielty was a regular until he hit the big time in London.

Belfast's only dedicated jazz bar offers live music seven nights a week and excellent cocktails in surroundings calculated to evoke New York at the height of the golden age of jazz.

Derry's newest nightspot is over-the-top decadent, with thronelike gilt mock Louis Quinze chairs, ornate stucco ceilings, chandeliers, and a lengthy cocktail list. It's favored by a young and flashily dressed clientele on Friday and Saturday nights; "jazz, booze and blues" on Saturday afternoons appeals to a slightly more mature audience.