University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Nightlife

Carolina Coffee Shop

This coffeeshop has one of the coziest atmospheres of any coffee shop on Franklin Street. During the day, breakfast is served until 2 p.m. At 9 p.m. all the elderly people are heaved out into the street and the restaurant turns into a bar with live music and large, rowdy crowds. Because of the delicious mixed drinks and imported beers, students often come here and dance and chat the night away.

Carolina SkyBar/White Bar and Lounge

This sports bar and lounge features large flat-screen TVs and projectors. Different nights feature different events, like iPod Tuesdays (hook up your iPod to their system and the best five songs gets a bar tab) and Jazz Thursdays.

Mansions 462

This upscale club features live music and entertainment. This facility is also available to campus organizations and rented out for parties and other events.

Players

Players has been a mainstay for several years and continues to be a favorite. It boasts a large dance floor, a bar, and a lounge with a pool table. There is a dress-code—no jerseys or tennis shoes. There is a new drink every weekend. The club is mainly 21-and-over, but there are a few 18-and-over nights. The cover is no more than $15 and drinks are extra.

Carolina Brewery

Voted "Best Brewpub in the Southeast" by Brewpub magazine.

He’s Not Here

He’s Not Here is unique because most of it is outdoors, which is great for those warm summer nights, but not so cool on those wet and rainy days. This place is great for serving cheap drinks—the 32-ounce Big Blue Cup, refillable for $3, is about the cheapest you’ll pay for a drink in Chapel Hill. The only drink served here is beer, and kegs are placed outside to diminish the long lines on the inside. There’s always live music on the weekends when local bands play a variety of music.

Rum Runners

Rum Runners has two bars: dueling pianos in the main bar and live entertainment in the back bar. College students can partake in the ultimate fight song challenge. There are nightly drink specials. Make reservations because there is limited seating available.

West End Wine Bar

This is the place to go if you’re trying to get away from the undergrad-filled nightclubs and bars. The West End Wine Bar has a romantic atmosphere. After 9:30 p.m. on the rooftop terrace, a local jazz or acoustic act plays light music. Pick from over 50 wine selections and swirl your drink all night long.

Cat’s Cradle

The Cat’s Cradle is known for its good music, with appearances by Nirvana, the Smashing Pumpkins, and John Mayer. Tickets are available at the door, at www.etix.com, or at Schoolkids Records. Try your talent at open-mic night.

The Cave

The Cave is known for its laid-back atmosphere—the crowd consists of jeans and T-shirts. Local bands perform nightly. There’s a pool table, a beer bar (domestics, imports, and microbrews), and you’re more than welcome to bring your dog. Make sure to be ready for clean-up, though!

Goodfellows

Goodfellows is a restaurant by day and a bar by night. During the day, Goodfellows serves Italian food: pizza, pasta, calzones, strombolis, and hoagies. During the night Goodfellows serves some of the most delicious and reasonably priced drinks. If you are interested in hanging out with your friends, meeting some new people, and grabbing a bite to eat, Goodfellows is open every weekday from 10 a.m.–11 p.m. and every weekend from 11 a.m.–2 a.m.

Players

It’s guaranteed at Element that every Friday night is 18-and-over, and most Saturdays are 18-and-over. The only time that Club Element would change the age limit is if an organization rents it out for the night and wants an age limit.

Mansions 462

This facility is available to campus organizations and rented out for parties and other events.

Carolina SkyBar/White Bar and Lounge

Dance on one of their 18-and-over nights. You’ll have to provide a valid college I.D. if you’re under 21. If you’re over 21 and wish to drink, you’ll have to provide a college ID and driver’s license.