Bars and pubs worth a shot for Lincoln students

For many students, finding good drinking spots in your university city is essential and Lincoln students are no exception. Fortunately, the historic city of Lincoln has plenty. Whether it’s a cosy pub to unwind after a long hard day of lectures or a fancy bar to celebrate girls night, here are some of the best places in Lincoln to go and grab a pint.

The Magna Carta

The Magna Carta pub is located right next to the cathedral and is a brilliant rest stop after trekking all the way up Steep Hill – if you can make it up that far. With cheap drinks, a hearty food menu and general good vibes, skint students can’t go far wrong with this lovely pub.

The Lion and Snake                                   

Further along the Bailgate is the Lion and Snake, a large pub nestled among the independent shops and cafes round the corner from Lincoln Castle. A cosy pub with comfy armchairs, the Lion and Snake also serves a varied menu of pub food and a huge selection of ales, lagers and spirits. For warmer days, it has a really lovely beer garden with fairy lights and a view of the cathedral. It’s a great place to chill and have a catch up with friends in the city’s historic quarter.

Citadel

Restaurant and bar Citadel is tucked away towards the back of the Bailgate and is a great place to go for an evening meal, cocktails, date night or bottomless brunch with the girls. Although slightly pricier than a pub, it’s absolutely worth it for the stunning views of the cathedral from the roof terrace (and the Instagram likes on the pics of said stunning views). Citadel has a wide selection of cocktails and obviously the best part is sampling them – the classic pornstar martini is a must, whereas there are also wackier drinks like this cute concoction of gin, lemonade and candyfloss.

Strait and Narrow

Next up is Strait and Narrow, found at the bottom of the hill, which is ideal for those who can’t face venturing up Steep Hill for a pint. Fresh off the back of its win for ‘Best City/Urban Pub’ at the Great British Pub Awards 2022, this funky bar specialises in beers from round the world and also has a great cocktail menu. With cool retro interior and lively music, this is a perfect place to go for an evening drink.

Be At One

Be At One is a fairly recent addition to Lincoln’s high street, and it did not disappoint. Inside customers are greeted with neon pink writing on the wall, gorgeous interior and a huge bar filled with basically every spirit going. It has a dance-floor, which gets packed and definitely has more of a clubby vibe than just a bar – perfect if you are looking to break some moves mid drink. The cocktails are amazing and the music choices included S Club 7 and Girls Aloud, so what more can a group of tipsy gals really want? Again, slightly more expensive, but Be At One is the ideal place to get the shots in and have a shameless boogie on girls night.

The Cardinal’s Hat

Situated at the top of the high street, this is a friendly and lowkey pub and is a great place to grab a chilled pint with a mate. It’s a bit cramped inside and definitely has a slightly older demographic, but the staff are really lovely and drinks are pretty cheap, which is all a student really needs, right?

Carousel

A bit further down the high street, Carousel is a huge restaurant/bar with a whole floor devoted entirely to gaming. From dance mats to Sonic and Mario, this funky place has it all and is truly one for the Insta lovers. Although it costs extra to play the games, Carousel has a huge menu of food and incredible cocktails to enjoy – one of the cocktails came with a heart-shaped lolly attached to it and free sweets are always a good thing. Carousel also serves alcoholic slushies and teapot cocktail sharers, both of which add to the weird and wonderful theme. Whilst it’s slightly on the pricier side, drunk gaming sounds like a pretty sick night out!

The Mailbox

By this point a whole afternoon of drinking was hitting pretty hard, so the end of the tour was a final pint at the Mailbox, just off the high street and near the stone arch. This was a really chilled and casual vibe, a pub but with fun and bright decor, good music but not too loud, plenty of seating and pool tables. They had a great selection of drinks, from pints, to spirits and mixers, to sharer jugs of cocktails.

Trebles

An honorary mention goes to Trebles, a staple of any Lincoln student’s night out, because where else does a triple vodka cost less than a fiver?

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