I don't live in Sheffield, and work in Manchester, so havent been out drinking in Sheff for ages (unless you count the Barrack before Wednesday matches).

When I do go its normally just for a gig at the Leadmill or Octagon

Going to try and have a day/night out with the girlfriend this Saturday. Can anyone recommend any decent pubs for us. We will be off to the Leadmill at around 8 to see the Test Icicles, but will probably hit the first pub around early afternoon.

If anyone could reccommend some decent pubs, with decent jukeboxes or music, I'd really appreciate it. Don't mind if they are student pubs. We are into indie/alternative music, and to be honest I've never been overly impressed with Sheffield in terms of comofortable cool pubs with a decent alternative vibe and a good jukebox/music playing, but I've tended to stick on the main drag, and probably missed the hidden decent boozers

I've heard good stuff about the Washington and the Porter Cottage (?) but this was a while ago and may have changed.

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks :thumbsup:

the dove and rainbow is about as alternative as it gets, it's in hartshead square behind the bankers draft/pizza hut on high street...
normally has some punks and metallers in, with some indie kids and goths.... jukebox ranges from clash/pistols/exploited via maiden/sabbath/metallica to stone roses/smiths/pop will eat itself.... landlord is a die hard poppies/wonderstuff fan.... decor is cool as well, paper mache metallers, punks, skins and rastas on the wall, tiger and leopard print is de rigour for the chairs and the DJ booth is half a caravan.... there's no other pub in sheffield like it....
always a good atmosphere and has tables outside so it's not too warm in hot weather...
apart from that the Nelson, Washington, Sportsman, Devonshire cat are the other accepted alternative pubs...

Originally posted by no_rules
the dove and rainbow is about as alternative as it gets, it's in hartshead square behind the bankers draft/pizza hut on high street...
normally has some punks and metallers in, with some indie kids and goths.... jukebox ranges from clash/pistols/exploited via maiden/sabbath/metallica to stone roses/smiths/pop will eat itself.... landlord is a die hard poppies/wonderstuff fan.... decor is cool as well, paper mache metallers, punks, skins and rastas on the wall, tiger and leopard print is de rigour for the chairs and the DJ booth is half a caravan.... there's no other pub in sheffield like it....
always a good atmosphere and has tables outside so it's not too warm in hot weather...
apart from that the Nelson, Washington, Sportsman, Devonshire cat are the other accepted alternative pubs...


Thanks for this, much appreciated, I know where the bankers draft is, so I'll have a little mooch around the back of that.

Originally posted by pigdog
I don't live in Sheffield, and work in Manchester, so havent been out drinking in Sheff for ages (unless you count the Barrack before Wednesday matches).

When I do go its normally just for a gig at the Leadmill or Octagon

Going to try and have a day/night out with the girlfriend this Saturday. Can anyone recommend any decent pubs for us. We will be off to the Leadmill at around 8 to see the Test Icicles, but will probably hit the first pub around early afternoon.

If anyone could reccommend some decent pubs, with decent jukeboxes or music, I'd really appreciate it. Don't mind if they are student pubs. We are into indie/alternative music, and to be honest I've never been overly impressed with Sheffield in terms of comofortable cool pubs with a decent alternative vibe and a good jukebox/music playing, but I've tended to stick on the main drag, and probably missed the hidden decent boozers

I've heard good stuff about the Washington and the Porter Cottage (?) but this was a while ago and may have changed.

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks :thumbsup:

Porter Cottage has the best Jukie in Sheffield. The Lescar (over the road) is also a good pub.

Originally posted by pigdog
to be honest I've never been overly impressed with Sheffield in terms of comofortable cool pubs with a decent alternative vibe and a good jukebox/music playing, but I've tended to stick on the main drag, and probably missed the hidden decent boozers


No you haven't missed them - there isn't one really. I wish there was - I'd go there all the time. Nelson and Dove&Rainbow are more traditional rock and goth. Nothing wrong with that, but not what you're after by the sound of it (eg I'm guessing something like the Sand Bar or the Temple in Manchester?). There is supposedly a separate bar under the Boardwalk venue but not sure if it's got going yet.

Devonshire Cat is not remotely indie/alternative so that's a red herring (not even a juke box I don't think) - but it is a great pub. Washington on Devonshire Green is probably the nearest thing to what you're after (and it's near the Dev Cat) so I'd go there. There's also the Grapes on Trippet Lane whch has indie people tramping through it every day because of the gigs upstairs. Showroom cinema bar is handy for that last drink before the Leadmill and has a nice vibe but the music (when there is any) is a bit ambient/winebar and there's no jukebox.

Check the thread on here about jukebox pubs. Porter Cottage is one of the best but it's in Hunters Bar not city centre and probably empty at the moment as no studes in town. The Vine in Sharrow is supposed to have a good jukebox but never been in myself.

The Nelson (just off the Moor, opposite McDonalds) is open from 2pm on Saturdays, with DJs on all afternoon playing mainly classic rock and alternative stuff, and they're very open to requests. There are then other DJs on from 8, with classic rock downstairs & more recent stuff upstairs - all sorts of music from System of a Down to the Pixies. It's a good atmosphere, and there are cocktails as well as real ale & the usual pub drinks!
I work there as well...

Originally posted by starr
The Nelson (just off the Moor, opposite McDonalds) is open from 2pm on Saturdays, with DJs on all afternoon playing mainly classic rock and alternative stuff, and they're very open to requests. It's a good atmosphere, and there are cocktails as well as real ale & the usual pub drinks!
I work there as well...

It's closer to the Leadmill than the D'n'R too so a good pre-gig choice!

(waves hello to Starr, fancy meeting you here and all that)

Well the Washington is where Pulp used to hang out!

Gotta be pretty Indie....I've never been though.

Originally posted by noseyrosie
Well the Washington is where Pulp used to hang out!


is that supposed to be a plus? lol

Originally posted by MTheo
is that supposed to be a plus? lol

Lol it is if you're an indie fan and you're in Sheffield, I reckon.

Going off on a tangent here - but I am looking for a room in sheffield from january, ideally looking for people with similiar interests so don't have to listen to Jamie Cullum through my wall. I know sheffield quite well as went to uni here and have had many nights in the porter cottage/lescar..... ideally looking for a house near hunters bar or in the city centre.
I'm pretty relaxed and easy to live with.
If anyone knows of a room available then please contact me - paul555w@hotmail.com

thanks

The Dove & Rainbow is a shocking dive. The landlord did nothing when a friend of mine was attacked by a frickin idiot in there...

what a dump.

Originally posted by theimposter
The Dove & Rainbow is a shocking dive. The landlord did nothing when a friend of mine was attacked by a frickin idiot in there...

what a dump.

This is normally one of the safest pubs in town.....must have been a dispute with someone rather than a random attack....I have never seen an incident in there in 10 years or more.....

I assure you goldenfleece it was an unprovoked attack. id had no probs before but the dealing of the situation was shocking.

I know the same lad the imposter was talking about, he was stood at the urinal when a big bloke with a mohican mumbled something, he said 'sorry mate what was that; & the big bloke nutted him & repeatedly banged his head against the wall.the landlord & bouncers came in whilst this was happening & did nothing other than say they were mates of this psychopath & asked him not to call the police as there mate was 'going through a hard time'.I never thought the dove & rainbow was a bad place until then, but i'll never drink in there again.

& the big bloke nutted him & repeatedly banged his head against the wall

the guy in question is only 5 ft 5....must be the mohican adding to the illusion of him being big...

and he was going through a hard time - he suffers from depression, and was off work at the time due to this - though i don't think this condones any of his actions, neither did/do most of the people he drinks in the pub with, - there was some build up to the fight though from what i can gather.... but again nothing to provoke this reaction....

the landlord & bouncers came in whilst this was happening

your infos a bit wrong- there are no bouncers at the dove n rainbow, haven't been for at least the last 8 years.....

when the imposter posted i was racking my brains about a fight, though when you posted i remembered this one had taken place (i'm not in there that often anymore)... this has been the only serious incident i can think of from the last 5-7 years, as goldenfleece points out - whilst the pub may not be to everyones taste decor wise/beer wise/music wise, it's got to be one of the safest places to drink in central sheffield in terms of incidents...

If you are not bothered about whether it is a student pub or not, The Globe which is very near the Leadmill, is a scream pub, it has a good jukebox and usually at the time of evening you will be there has a good atmosphere.

Originally posted by lomaxkinesis
If you are not bothered about whether it is a student pub or not, The Globe which is very near the Leadmill, is a scream pub, it has a good jukebox and usually at the time of evening you will be there has a good atmosphere.

Not a bad place....but I find it a little 'clique'.....everyone seems to know everyone else, its more like someones private party than a pub in town....but having said that, it used to have a very good juke box...

what about the casbah a great place to chill

No Rules-I cant think of what build up there would be other than the bloke with the mohican deciding to take out his anger on an innocent passer by, it was'nt a fight , the lad that got nutted did not fight back.

No Rules-I cant think of what build up there would be other than the bloke with the mohican deciding to take out his anger on an innocent passer by, it was'nt a fight , the lad that got nutted did not fight back.

like i said - i'm not sure of all the facts, but was correcting a couple of yours that were blatently wrong - if you see from my post i have no sympathy for my friends actions, just that from the small amount of info gleaned there was some build up....

it's like the previous poster was saying the landlord came in and did nothing - by the time he came into the toilet it was all over bar a tiny scuffle, the headbutt and the whacks had already taken place, the damage was done, i know there seems to have been people asking not to press charges, but the landlord gave a statement naming the attacker to the police, friend or no friend, so i can't see what more he was supposed to do.... if as your stating there was no build up to the fight, there would have been no way to pre-empt any of it would there....