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University of Iowa - Nightlife - Nightlife - College ProwlerCollege Prowler4.62

Nightlife

Quick Stats

Primary Areas with Nightlife
  • Downtown Iowa City
  • Pedestrian Mall
Student Favorites
  • Brothers Bar & Grill
  • Jack's
  • The Union Bar
  • Vito’s
Other Places to Check Out
  • FireWater
  • Martini’s
  • Piano Lounge
  • Yacht Club
Favorite Drinking Games
  • Beer pong
  • Century pong
  • Flippy cup
  • Irish poker
  • Power Hour
  • Quarters
Useful Resources for Nightlife The Facebook group “Iowa City Barmaster” has a list of every bar’s specials for every day of the week. Print it out and put it on the wall for easy reference!

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

It has been said that the weekend at UI begins on Wednesday night and ends Monday morning. Many students will count down the days until they can go out for the weekend. The bars are the popular place to be—the nice thing is that most bars in Iowa City allow anyone 19 or older through the doors. So even if you can’t legally drink, you can still head out to the bar to dance or meet people. There are many different types of bars, as well: the super-crowded social bars like Sports Column or 808, the fancier but still underage-friendly bars like Summit or Union, and nicer 21-and-over-only bars like Martini’s and Formosa. Airliner and Jake’s are more laid-back and sports-oriented but still have a dance floor upstairs. Several bars feature live music every now and then, like the Picador. The bars are definitely what most students look forward to on the weekend. Other options include going to house parties—there are several every weekend and even more when the weather is nice.

The nightlife at UI is largely what you make of it. There are plenty of bars to offer something new every night, so choosing a bar that fits your style is the key. And going to the bar with people you know makes the experience that much more enjoyable. For students who choose not to drink, there are several movie theaters, the Fieldhouse offers night games every once and a while, and there are often non-alcoholic activities in the residential halls on weekend nights.

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Iowa Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Nightlife at University of Iowa

Brittany1988

English '14

5.0
A+

Good for Partiers

If you are a partier there is really great night life here. There is a lot of dancing and concerts.

May 04, 2012

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Nightlife at University of Iowa

hykergirl

Anthropology and Archaeology '15

5.0
A+

It's Iowa.

If you want a vibrant nightlife, you can find it in downtown Iowa City, just blocks from campus, for mostly 21+ including bars, nightclubs, etc. It's Iowa, there are parties. It's just a fact. Of course, the University does offer alternatives to the party lifestyle with late-night movies and dances for those who want to skip the downtown social scene and hang out closer to the dorms.

Mar 16, 2012

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Nightlife at University of Iowa

astellern

Nursing '15

3.8
B+

Nightlife at U of I

While the clubs are good for 21 or older, anyone below that might as well go to house parties. While the bars and clubs are usually closer, they are usually packed and you can only stay til 10 if you're underage.

Jan 19, 2012

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User rating for University of Iowa - Nightlife is 4.6 out of 5 based on 26 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the off-campus bar and club scene on the following topics

What is the party scene like on campus?

What’s the best way to get to the popular nightlife spots?

Facts

Bar Prowler

There are dozens of bars in downtown Iowa City, so that means all different atmospheres. Students usually pre-game at their dorm or apartment before going out to save money on drinks. Most bars are 19+ after 10 p.m. During FAC (Friday After Class), the bars are 18+, and IDs usually aren’t checked. The typical bar charges a cover fee on their most popular nights, usually $5-$10, but it's sometimes free for students 21 or older. Thursday is the biggest night for bars, and most have specials starting as low as $1 for a pitcher of beer. Many bars have a dance floor, but the size depends on the bar. Some cater more for dancing, while others are more relaxed. Just try them out and see which ones you like best.

Closing Time

1:30 a.m.–2:30 a.m.

Cheapest Place to Get a Drink

Any bar on a Thursday night or during FAC (Fridays after Class).

Organization Parties

Several organizations and departments offer gatherings on weekend nights. These often involve a party or a guest speaker to raise awareness about some issue. The residence halls also have alternative activities for students who wish not to take part in the bar scene.

Bar ListingsWhat's This?

808 Restaurant and Nightclub

Considered one of the “freshman” bars on campus, there always seems to be an unsually high number of underaged students here. The dance floor is huge, so it makes the bar seem less crowded, but that could also be because not many people go there other than on Fridays.

121 Iowa Ave.

(319) 351-0044

The Airliner

The Airliner has been an Iowa City tradition for more than 60 years. It’s the best bar to watch football games and has the best pizza in Iowa. It has great FAC deals, and is an upperclassman bar. Many students head to The Airliner on their 21st birthday.

22 S. Clinton St.

(319) 351-9259

www.theairlinerbar.com

Brothers Bar & Grill

Brothers is one of the more relaxed bars. Most people go there with their friends or for bar crawls rather than to go dancing. It’s a huge sports bar with pool tables, dart boards, and great bar food. There is another Brothers in Milwaukee, so when Wisconsin plays football here that’s where most of the fans will be.

125 S. Dubuque St. (Pedestrian Mall)

Pedestrian Mall

(319) 338-6373

www.brothersbar.com

DC's

DC’s is a newer bar and has become a popular place for FAC, featuring $2 fishbowls of mixed drinks. It’s a little more upscale than the other sports bars and has lots of big screens and a great lunch menu.

124 S. Dubuque St. (Pedestrian Mall)

(319) 358-9575

Jake’s

Jake’s is an Iowa tradition for celebrating your 21st birthday—it offers 21 pitchers of beer for $21 dollar. Students who aren't fans of beer can switch out a pitcher for four mixed drinks. Jake’s is the place to go on Wednesday nights: The infamous punchcard special (15 drinks for $10) is very popular.

18-20 S. Clinton St.

(319) 351-0557

www.oneeyedjakes.net

Fieldhouse (Third Base)

Fieldhouse has a large dance floor and lots of big-screen TVs to watch any game on. Thursdays are $2 pitchers of mixed drinks, so if you’re tight on money, it’s a great place to go.

111 E. College St. (Pedestrian Mall)

Pedestrian Mall

(319) 339-1516

The Picador

This is the place to come to listen to live music. The Picador has bands, big and small, playing almost every day. It is considered the “alternative” bar, so you won’t find any Top 40 music or sorority girls here. There are dance parties every Thursday, and everyone who has gone has fallen in love.

330 E. Washington St.

(319) 354-4788

www.thepicador.com

Sports Column

“SpoCo” is the most popular bar for freshmen. There are $1 pitchers of beer on Thursdays, so if you want those, get there early (think 9 p.m.) and be prepared to get suffocated later. It can get so insanely busy that you won't be able to move and it will take 20 minutes to get a drink—longer if you’re a guy.

12 S. Dubuque St.

(319) 356-6902

The Summit

Summit has a dress code that restricts logos, hats, and ripped jeans. This is a huge bar for dancing and tries to be more of an upscale bar. While it looks a lot nicer than most bars in Iowa City, a lot of older men will come here looking to hook up with young college girls, giving it the nickname “Scummit,” or “Scum” for short.

10 S. Clinton St.

(319) 354-7482

www.thesummitrestaurantandbar.com

The Union Bar

Union has a dress code similar to The Summit—and the same reputation, and Girls Gone Wild has been known to stop by a few times. It has a huge dance floor, private rooms with hot tubs, and can get very crowded. It has the best FAC deal around with 50 cent beers. It’s also known as the bar to go to if you’re looking for a quick hook up.

121 E. College St. (Pedestrian Mall)

Pedestrian Mall

(319) 339-7713

www.theunionbar.com

Vito’s

Vito’s was recently changed to a 21+ bar but has always been more of an upperclassmen place to hang out. The line is usually around the corner on Thursdays.

118 E. College St. (Pedestrian Mall)

Pedestrian Mall

(319) 338-1393

www.vitosic.com

What to Do if You're Not 21What's This?

Most of the bars in Iowa City allow those 19 and over to enter, so there are only ever a few left out of this scene. Those younger then 19 may enter the bar before 10 p.m., but are supposed to leave at 10 p.m. Downtown Iowa City has a few other activities to offer those who don’t want to bar-hop, and the Coral Ridge Mall is another alternative.

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Name
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Hometown
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Major
Journalism

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