Carnegie Mellon University
- Nightlife

Whim

The music at Whim usually flips between hip-hop and a Top 40 mix, so if you are more of a house music or "reggaetone" lover, you will be sorely disappointed. Whim is a very mediocre club, but the thing that makes it worth listing is its "College Night." Every Thursday, this club is 18 to enter, 21 to drink, and the cover is only $5. Unfortunately, Whim is never usually super packed, and if it is, there are a lot of older men. CMU students go, though, because it's not too hard to get in, even on nights other than Thursday.

District 3

District 3 is relatively new to South Side, and has the best drink specials of any of the clubs in the area. This is because the first floor is essentially a classy sports bar, and upstairs is the dance club. There are table beer specials, private VIP sections, and two bars (one upstairs and the large central one downstairs). The best part is—there is no cover. This club is 21 to enter, and IDs are checked using a blacklight at the door.

Diesel

Diesel has three levels, five different lounge areas, and is connected to a live music venue. Whether you want to dance to house music, live DJs, or rap, you'll have a great time. You can hit up Diesel during the main party nights, Thursday through Saturday, and if you're up for celebrating, rent a VIP room on either the first, mezzanine, or second level. Valet parking is available Friday and Saturday, but keep in mind that Diesel is 21-and-up—notoriously hard to get into without a real ID.

Peter’s Pub

If you want to escape the monotony of seeing the same people at common CMU hangouts, Peter's is the place to go. It's in the heart of Oakland, so the main clientele are University of Pittsburgh students. Every day of the week they offer $5.50 Miller High Life pitchers from 7 until close, and with 50-plus import beers and 20-plus domestic, they offer one of the most eclectic beer selections—on a student's budget.

Shady Grove

This place is popular among CMU students because Wednesday is wine night—which means half-price bottles of the house wine until 12 a.m. and a very crowded atmosphere. Shady Grove is a great place to see other CMU students; however, there is a fair share of older Shadyside residents here, as well. This busy environment makes it easy for students under 21 to head upstairs to Walnut Grill (an upscale restaurant) for late dinner.

William Penn Tavern

Also known as "WPT" or "Will Penn," this bar is arguably Shadyside's most popular bar, at least among CMU students. It's not a large place, but the endless sports memorabilia decorating the walls makes for a great, relaxed environment. The drink specials aren't exactly anything special—beer on tap is cheap, similar to other places. The key is to get to know the bar and wait staff, because once you're in, you'll find yourself paying a whole lot less and leaving a lot more wasted. The wings don't suck, either (try the kitchen sink sauce!).

Mad Mex

Due to the great student discounts and happy hour specials, this is one of the popular bars that attracts not only CMU students, but also University of Pittsburgh students. Their claim to fame is the Big Azz Margarita. During happy hour and late nights, you can get a 22-ounce goblet of margarita, which is really all you need to start your night off the right way. They recently opened another location in Shadyside on South Highland Avenue, which has a lot more tables and space. No matter which location you go to, though, you are sure to have a great time, but be cautious with fake IDs—servers tend to look carefully.

Mario's East Side Saloon

Opening in the summer of 2011, Mario's has a lower-level indoor seating area, and the second floor is split between an indoor and outdoor patio. This is a great place to go out on Tuesdays: It is near campus, there's karaoke, and there are classy half-price bottles of wine—the perfect Tuesday outing before an 8:30 class the next morning. CMU students also frequent this place on Wednesdays, where there are $3 giant goblets (32 ounces) of Miller Lite.

Panther Hollow Inn (PHI)

This bar is a CMU tradition, although you won’t read about it in any brochures. Thursday nights at PHI are packed with CMU students taking advantage of $4 pitchers. It’s a couple of steps away from the dorms, right on Forbes.

Sphinx Café

Sphinx Café is a hookah bar located right off of the University of Pittsburgh campus. Housed in a refurbished church, this café provides a relaxing evening and late-night experience. They offer more than 40 different hookah flavors and often will have a live performer crooning soft songs or strumming away at his guitar. There is never any cover charge; however, there is a minimum of one order per customer.

Sushi Too

This relatively cheap Japanese restaurant is a must-visit while at CMU. The main attraction is the private room upstairs that can seat up to 30 people. CMU students will reserve the room for a large group, and as long as you order with confidence, they rarely ask for an ID. The sushi isn't bad, but face it—the main reason to go is to try a sake bomb. Order a Sapporo (beer) and a sake, and on the count of three, you drop the sake shot in the beer and chug—lather, rinse, repeat, until you have trouble paying the bill.

Club Zoo

Club Zoo is the hottest spot for under-21-year-olds to dance and party the weekend away. This club boasts 20,000 square feet, four levels, a VIP room, and five bars. The bars serve free soft drinks, bottled water, and energy drinks, as well as food and snacks. The high-tech lighting and sound systems keep underagers dancing on the bars and cages throughout the club.

Hookah Bookah

This hookah bar offers a lively atmosphere with its belly dancers and upbeat Arabian music. Located on South Side's lively East Carson Street, the outdoor seating allows customers to be part of the colorful scene of bar hoppers, even if they aren't yet 21. There is no cover charge, and there are dozens of flavors from which to choose. One thing to remember is that it gets quite crowded. Even though there are tables, it is hard for a group of more than four to really sit together.