North Carolina State University - NightlifeCollege Prowler3.85

Nightlife:

B+

(explain this grade)

Comparable Schools'
Nightlife Grades:

Quick Stats

Useful Resources for Nightlife

  • Facebook
  • MySpace
  • Raleigh Independent
  • The Technician (NCSU student paper)

Student Favorites

  • Hi 5 Restaurant & Sports Bar
  • Rum Runners
  • The Flying Saucer
  • The Player's Retreat

Primary Areas with Nightlife

  • Downtown Raleigh

Other Places to Check Out

  • Alltel Pavilion
  • Brewery
  • Cat’s Cradle
  • Club Oxygen
  • Rialto
  • Stool Pigeons

Favorite Drinking Games

  • Beer Die
  • Beer pong
  • Card games (A$$hole)
  • Century Club
  • Circle of Death
  • Flip cup
  • High or Low
  • Power Hour
  • Quarters

Bars Close At

2 a.m.

Cheapest Place to Get a Drink

East Village

Flying Saucer

College Prowler Take

Nightlife in Raleigh is raring to go as soon as Thursday night rolls around. There are many fraternity and house parties going on for “Thirsty Thursdays.” With plenty of bars and clubs open with specials, college kids are calling cabs left and right. If you do not want to drop any money on a cover charge or cab, friends will just get together and throw down together nearby. Alltel Pavilion is a huge concert venue near campus where big shows are played by people like the Rolling Stones, Garth Brooks, and the Allman Brothers.

The only real complaint is that sometimes it is hard to go see an open-mic night or a local band play if you’re not 21. That is just a tough break with the law; everyone has to go through it. Bars and clubs are making gestures to help change the underage discrimination by staying open for those under 18 certain nights of the week. The dating scene is popular, and there are many options for a date, whether it is a trip to the park, a romantic dinner at Frazier’s (on Hillsborough Street), or just going to a bar to hang out and have a few drinks.

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Students Speak Out

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NCSAL says:

North Carolina State University 2013

Communication and Journalism

There are no parties on campus to...

There are no parties on campus to speak of other than small dorm get-togethers and generally lame University-sponsored events. The bars and clubs are decent, and there are all kinds of good bars to go to. Some highlights include Volume 11 Tavern (awesome heavy metal venue), the Glenwood South area for upscale stuff, the Flying Saucer for its beer selection, and the Brewery for live music. The Berklee Cafe is also a good venue, and the Jackpot is a cool dive bar-type place. There are also some good sports bars like Sammy's and the Brickhouse.

Nightlife: March 15, 2009
Report

NCSGB says:

North Carolina State University 2013

Engineering

Parties are always awesome. Brent...

Parties are always awesome. Brent Road is always big on the weekends. There are tons of bars downtown and right by campus. Check out Flying Saucer, Ugly Monkey, Old Bar, Pantana Bob's, and 5 O'clock.

Nightlife: March 08, 2009
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NCShf says:

North Carolina State University 2010

Other

Frat partys on campus are pretty...

Frat partys on campus are pretty weak. There's no shortage of underage drinking and minor drug use within the dorms, though. Most RAs turn a blind eye. Mitch's Tavern on Hillsborough Street is good, as is Pantana Bob's. Cuevo de Lobos, a Mexican resturant on corner of Avent Ferry and Gorman, has a pretty good bar in the back with good drink specials.

Nightlife: February 23, 2009
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NCSMH5 says:

North Carolina State University 2010

Engineering

Parties on campus were always...

Parties on campus were always really sketchy because, for the most part, people were under 21 and in alcohol-free dorms, so you're always trying to not get caught by the RAs. The best clubs/nightlife is mostly on Glenwood Avenue downtown. It's typically 21-and-up, though some places are 18-and-up but usually on Wednesdays, which are college nights. There are also a few bars on Hillsborough, but they're just for drinking/playing pool/darts and aren't really clubs made for dancing. Bogarts, the Pourch/the Bassment, and Katmandu are probably the best for meeting people and dancing. Mosquito is also really good for dancing, but it's always only 21-and-up, and there are people even older in their 30s. House parties can be OK, but it's usually hit or miss, and if they're a hit, the cops usually get called.

Nightlife: February 21, 2009
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Anonymous says:

I can’t say I’m much of a partier,...

I can’t say I’m much of a partier, but after coming to NCSU, I have found cool coffeehouses around town that host local musicians, and that is my kind of scene. I really enjoy supporting locals, and places like Helios have such a chill atmosphere that anyone can enjoy sitting down and enjoying a cup of coffee to good music.

Nightlife
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Interested in
NC State?

Facts

Club Crawler

There are many places to go for dancing. Many are bars and clubs that have the policy that those 18 and up may enter but must be 21 to drink. Places like this usually have a slightly higher cover charge for those under 21. Dive Bar and Hi 5 are two of the most popular places students visit.

Bar Prowler

Most bars are located in downtown Raleigh, but are still a close cab ride away. Downtown Raleigh makes it easy to go barhopping.

Organization Parties

Occasionally, colleges within the University will have formals or parties. The College of Design is known to have a really fun Halloween bash. The College of Textiles hosts a formal called Lint Dodgers every spring.

Club Listings

Hi 5 is a restaurant where students will gather to watch the game or go out late at night for food, drinks, and dancing.

Hi 5 Restaurant & Sports Bar

510 Glenwood Ave.

(919) 834-4335

The Office is a nightclub for those 21 and up. College kids will gather here for a night of dancing.

The Office

310 S. West St.

(919) 828-9994

www.theofficenightclub.com

This is a very popular venue that plays all sorts of music. Be sure to keep an eye out for when the local favorite Who’s Bad, a Michael Jackson cover band, comes to play. It’s a small venue, so be prepared to be surrounded by dancing, singing, and drinking people. Underagers are permitted.

Lincoln Theater (Raleigh)

126 E. Cabarrus St.

(919) 821-4111

This is a very trendy club where students come to hang out, whether it’s by lounging around or dancing.

Red Room

510 Glenwood Ave.

(919) 835-1322

www.redroomraleigh.com

Bar Listings

The Pour House dances to its own beat, literally, as this bar is known as a venue for local artists to play for college students. The live music is usually along the lines of alternative rock.

The Pour House

224 S. Blount St.

Raleigh

(919) 821-1120

www.the-pour-house.com

The Players' Retreat

105 Oberlin Road

Raleigh

(919) 755-9589

www.playersretreat.net

A fun local Irish bar with a mixture of people. This bar is located in downtown Raleigh and attracts both college students and young working adults—especially on weekdays after work.

Tir Na Nog Irish Pub & Restaurant

218 S. Blount St.

Raleigh

(919) 833-7795

www.tnnirishpub.com

Very popular for the college crowd around Raleigh and located downtown, students often gather here on Wednesday night for specials on liquor pitchers.

Rum Runners

208 E. Martin St.

Raleigh

(919) 755-6436

www.rumrunnersusa.com

Its location off of Hillsborough Street makes this a popular destination for those on and off campus, since it’s in walking distance of campus and other local bars. An outdoor patio makes it nice to come for dinner or just drinks.

East Village Grill & Bar

1 Dixie Trl.

Raleigh

(919) 821-9985

www.eastvillagegrill.com

Located on Hillsborough Street, with an outdoor patio upstairs and downstairs, this is a smaller bar and not quite as popular as East Village, but it’s still crowded on the weekend. The décor of the bar, with fun colored lights, makes it a nice place to just hang out.

The Cantina

3011 Hillsborough St.

Raleigh

(919) 832-4541

Metro Café & Lounge

309 Blake St.

Raleigh

(919) 926-8796

www.metrocafe.org

The Flying Saucer scene is laid-back, and you’ll find yourself surrounded by local students. While the bar is popular on the weekend, the Saucer is mainly a hotspot on Mondays for $2.50 pint night. Loyal customers come back with the goal to drink every beer the bar has to offer in order to get a saucer on the wall with their name on it.

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium

328 W. Morgan St.

Raleigh

(919) 821-7468

www.beerknurd.com

What to Do if You're Not 21

If you’re not 21, it’s really not so bad. Even though it seems like forever when your friends are all 21 and you’re still waiting, there is still plenty to do. It helps if you go check out bars like Mitch’s Tavern (right on Hillsborough Street), because it’s a bar that admits those 18 and up, and there is no cover charge. Also, Helios Coffee Company on Glenwood is a great place to chill and take in a local band.

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Name: Matthew J. Cote
Hometown: Teaneck, NJ
Major: English: Language, Writing, and Rhetoric

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