Written on Andrew Porter-EmeryFood and Drink Updated on 1st February 2024
Get your groove and drink on at these cracking Leeds bars where music is far from an afterthought…
It doesn’t matter if you’re into house, indie, rock, jazz or soul, there’s a music bar in Leeds for you. These are the places that serve up good drinks but also flex their passion for music. Order yourself a beer, some wine or a creative co*cktail and shake your thing to live bands, local DJs and perfectly curated soundtracks. Why have a kitchen disco when you can dance with friends in your favourite bar?
Sela Bar
© Copyright Leeds-List 2023
If the god of music was trying to create the perfect bar, it might be something a lot like Sela. Craft beer, co*cktails, pizza and live music are all on the menu when you enter this subterranean spot. There’s live music every week, with resident act The Sela Funk House Band playing on the first Thursday of every month. You might even see international acts as well, with tickets generally less than a fiver. With dozens of beers – including some choice selections from Brooklyn Brewery and various Yorkshire breweries – and no shortage of delicious co*cktails, it needs to go on your ‘must boogie’ list.
Sela Bar, 20 New Briggate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6NU.
Sandinista
Credit: Saltwick
You can tell music flows through the veins of Sandinista –it’s named after the seminal Clash album, after all. After all this time, they still know how to dish out the rock ‘n’ roll vibes, making us boogie while we booze. It’s all about a good time, with a dance floor that rarely stays empty for long. People who loved the original Sandinista have been flocking back, but it has also been turning on a whole new generation of Leeds music-lovers. Fuel your dancing with quality beers, rums and co*cktails – they stock some pretty rare spirits – and then party on until 4am to a soundtrack of indie and soul hits.
Sandinista, 5 Cross Belgrave Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 8JP.
Santiago
Not all music spots are created equal, and those seeking out one of the best rock bars in Leeds should get themselves down to Santiago. Live bands are on regularly, but even if there’s no-one booked, you’ll still get a soundtrack of the harder stuff to accompany your drinks. It’s the bar to hear music from Rancid, Pantera, Black Flag and Metallica while you make a choice from their seemingly endless array of whiskeys. Your favourite rock band in town? This is the place to be if there’s an afterparty in the offing –you might just end sharing a bourbon or two with your heroes.
Santiago, 1-3 Grand Arcade, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6PG.
Mojo
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Mojo’s motto is ‘Music for the People’ and it was one of the best music bars in Leeds even in black and white times. It’s still a great night out, where you’ll get a blast of classic rock, soul or indie while sipping on a perfectly-made co*cktail. It’s not unknown for impromptu dancing to take place, even up on table-tops, so just make sure you put that Twisted Melon or Zombie down somewhere safe before you join in. Decorated with classic band posters and musician images, it’s imbued with music from 4pm until it closes –which on Friday and Saturday nights is at a bleary-eyed 5am.
Mojo, 18 Merrion Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6PQ.
Oporto
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Oporto is well into its third decade at the heart of the city’s nightlife, and is still one of the finest, funnest bars to see live music in Leeds. The resident DJs can perk up even the quietest night with a judicious selection of indie and rock classics, while the live nights curated by Dead Young Records are the stuff of legend – their dive bar gives way to an 120 capacity intimate gig room. Buy a ticket and you can support local up-and-comers, while any of the visiting bands could turn out to be future icons. The bar is adorned with rows of premium spirits, and the fridges overflowing with craft beer.
Oporto, 33 Call Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 7BT.
The 212 Cafe & Bar
212 is the Manhattan area code, and this Leeds bar is suffused with the spirit of the classic dance music clubs of the Big Apple. Pop in during the afternoon for good coffee and food – a vegan kebab, for example – or head here during the night for the best house, electronica, funk, disco and more. It’s known for being inclusive, friendly and welcoming, with none of the standoffishness you get from some dance venues. There’s a skate vibe and graffitied pillars, reflecting the tastes of the owners, and they’ve made sure the sound system can stand up to the music – this is one of the best-sounding bars in the city.
212 Cafe & Bar, 6a Brewery Place, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS10 1NE.
Smokestack
R ’n’ B bars in Leeds are a little thin on the ground, but Smokestack is a place of pilgrimage for those who crave more soulful sounds. Head there on a Saturday for Rootdown – DJ Chico Malo has been gracing the city with the best in Latin, soulful jazz, hip-hop and more since the days of legendary Leeds night The Cooker. He knows how to fill a dance floor, although nodding your head on the sidelines while nursing a Negroni is also a perfectly acceptable way to spend an evening. There’s a New Orleans vibe to the bar and the drinks – imagine you’re on Bourbon Street as you get down until 4am.
Smokestack, 159a Lower Briggate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6LY.
Verve
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With its prime Merrion Street position allowing you to spill out onto the pedestrianised strip, Verve is a fabulous party bar. There are live events five nights a week, with comedy on Tuesdays and the rest of the week dedicated to music. Sundays are the most chilled, with live acoustic sessions, while Thursday’s ‘Rum ’n’ Rock’ does what it says on the tin – live rock bands with rum and a mixer for £2.50 in the Mariachi Bar. There’s more rock and indie on both Friday and Saturday, with free entry and a gratis tequila shot if you’re one of the first 30 people downstairs. Now that’s how you get a party started.
Verve, 16 Merrion Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6PQ.
Wax Bar
Wax Bar is the sister and neighbour of Sela Bar, meaning you can double up on these essential Leeds music bars – that’s a heck of a night out. Enjoy some ice cold beers – they’re served in chilled chalices – or inventive co*cktails such as a refreshing Melon and Mint Margarita while you listen to a phenomenal soundtrack. Their tequila shots with a verdita chaser are favourite among Leeds locals. Some nights have DJs playing vinyl, while the music-themed decor –framed album covers, vintage boomboxes – reinforces the impression that this place truly loves music. It’s like the dive bar of your dreams.
Wax Bar, 20 New Briggate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6NU.
Outlaws Yacht Club
Outlaws Yacht Club is a bit of a hybrid. This New York Street haunt is a coffee-house-cum-bar-cum-arts-club. It’s a bit of everything, but it’s also a bit special. On afternoon it’s full of freelancers and daytime drinkers playing vintage board games. At night the music arrives, with DJs playing every Friday and Saturday. It does more than just play music, however, it also celebrates it. There’s a vinyl listening station so you can play through their collection and their Reggae Sunday event sees Reggae DJ’s take to the decks, with Caribbean soul food and 2-4-1 Bloody Marys.
Outlaws Yacht Club, 38 New York Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7DY.
Howl
Don’t expect any airs or graces at Howl –this is a dive bar in the truest sense of the word. It’s an unpolished gem, serving beer, spirits and shots to those who want to listen to rock and roll. You’ll also hear goth, punk and everything alternative, enjoying fairly priced drinks until late every night. It’s open until 2am on weekdays, with a closing time of 5am on Fridays and Saturdays that says ‘go hard or go home’. More than a casual music fan? Pop down for their Tuesday music quiz, with cash and beer on offer. Want to go full metal? They stock signature drinks from bands like Rammstein and Kiss.
Howl Bar, 112 Vicar Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7NL.
The Shed Bar
The Shed is a veteran Leeds rock bar, its tunnel location – you’ll find it under a railway arch – and dark wood furniture giving it the feel of a vintage watering hole transplanted wholesale from New York’s Bowery. It boasts great natural acoustics, and they take full advantage of it with a constant blitz of the best rock and roll. The gig posters, racks of Jagermeister and vast collection of whiskey both familiar and rare tell you that this is the home of good times. As well as working your way through those single malts, there’s also an excellent co*cktail list and a late license that’ll have you rocking out until the wee hours.
The Shed Bar, 6 Heaton’s Court, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 4LJ.
Doghouse
Credit: Molly Woollett
Come in the afternoon and Doghouse is a relaxed dog-friendly place for a coffee or a quick pint and a snack – the bagels are some of the best in town. But come later and head upstairs to discover one of the most unsung music bars you’ll find in Leeds. There’s a calendar of regular nights, such as DJ Jamie Barber on the last Saturday of the month, playing a mix of soul, jazz funk and boogie on vinyl. In addition to this, every Thursday sees ‘Doghouse Unleashed’ take over, where up and coming Leeds acoustic acts play sets for free – this is the perfect chance to catch the next big break.
Doghouse, 90 Kirkgate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7DJ.
HELLO Music Lounge at House of Fu
Credit: Reece Leung
If you don’t plan on dining at the roaringly-good ramen restaurant House of Fu downstairs, the good news is that the upstairs bar has its own separate entrance. There’s a little warren of private karaoke booths here, so you can pay tribute to or murder your favourite songs, while the top floors hosts HELLO, a decidedly cool music lounge with a great sound system. You might find one of the owners playing vintage jazz and funk breaks from his own private collection, while they also welcome the cream of the local DJing scene and have playlists curated by musical tastemakers. Add in co*cktails and craft beer and it’s a surefire hit.
HELLO Music Lounge, House of Fu, 15-19 The Headrow, Leeds, LS1 6PU.
Cover credit: © Copyright Leeds-List 2023
