University of Iowa - Nightlife

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.