YOUR DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO DRINKING ON WIND STREET, SWANSEA
If you’re looking for a lively night out in South Wales then the name Wind Street will probably have popped up quite a few times, and for good reason. More aptly nicknamed by locals and tourists alike as ‘Wine Street’ this 160m stretch holds the majority of the city’s pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants.
It’s this close proximity of varied venues that makes it a fantastic destination for hen dos, stag nights and office parties. No night on Wind Street (for better or worse…) is ever the same. Here’s what you can expect:
Looking for something a little more refined? Check out
POPWORLD (PREVIOUSLY REFLEX)
Do you fancy a retro night out? Are you the type that dreams of Karma Chameleons and Club Tropicanas? Of course you do! Of course you are! If you love shiny, happy people, Popworld is the place to be.
Popworld celebrates all things pop with a refreshingly unironic, wide-eyed enthusiasm. Bring glitter – and a penchant for cocktails. With nineties and noughties classics being played ’til the early hours, Reflex is the perfect place for a great night out.
YATES’S
At the very top of Wind Street you’ll find Yates’s. It’s a popular budget option, with plenty of beers, wines and ciders that don’t burn a deep hole in your pocket.
For better or worse, you know what you’re gonna get at Yates’s: constant drinks deals, plenty of seating, loads of big screens to watch the rugby and an unpretentious, good time.
BAMBU BEACH BAR
Looking for a taste of the sunny, carefree Caribbean in oft-rainy Swansea? Pay a visit to Bambu Beach Bar: a chilled-out establishment with karaoke booths, exotic cocktails, a rum bar and a heated outdoor terrace area – complete with a resident outside DJ.
Bambu is also the only establishment on Wind Street that offers shisha – perfect if you fancy a relaxing toke in the heart of Swansea.
VARSITY
Whether you’re hunting for a party or a cheap and cheerful dinner, Varsity makes sense. However, this location is undergoing something of a revamp this spring, with an indoor refurbishment and a name change imminent.
Watch this space!
WALKABOUT
By day, this Aussie-themed bar is a relaxed, sports-centric bar with Swansea’s biggest screen and daily drinks deals. By night, Walkabout transforms into an energetic, exciting party venue – perfect if you’re the ‘dance ’til you drop’ type.
One more thing: get yourself on the VIP package for the optimum Oz experience.
FLICKERING LIGHT
If you’re looking for a unique night out then take a step back in time and merge modern tipples with the vintage décor at Wind Street’s newest resident club – Flickering Light!
Found on Wind Street under, you guessed it, a flickering light, step through the front door to be greeted by a bar made from a 1950s converted truck. With walls plastered with old newspapers, Victorian science fiction memorabilia decorating the bar surfaces and cocktail menus written on church hymn boards, this is a night out in Swansea you’ll definitely remember.
Read more about Flickering Light in our dedicated blog post to the new bar here.
PITCHER & PIANO
Pitcher & Piano is one of Wind Street’s more elegant establishments. With classy Chesterfield sofas, expertly-concocted cocktails, and an elite atmosphere, this tasteful pub offers a certain level of sophistication to revellers in Swansea.
Happily, this cosy, quality option doesn’t come with premium prices. Lunch menus start at £6 and you’re sure to find a variety of drinks offers.
THE BANK STATEMENT
Who doesn’t love a Wetherspoons?
As the name suggests, The Bank Statement used to be one of Swansea’s leading banks. Today, Wind Street’s very own Wetherspoons’ piques punters’ interest in a different way.
As expected, The Bank Statement boasts great value food and a wide range of local beers, ales and ciders. Make sure you make the most of the local brews. Check out our guide to Swansea’s 11 Finest Beers and Ales for some must-taste tipples.
NO SIGN WINE BAR
The favoured watering hole of Swansea’s greatest son, Dylan Thomas, No Sign Wine Bar is one of Wales’ oldest bars. This 16th century bar gives Wind Street a touch of quintessential Swansea cool. Oh, and some great drinks.
You wouldn’t know from its unassuming skinny front, but No Sign Bar contains a range of separate drinking locations:
- The Main Bar – where Thomas congregated with the ‘Kardomah gang’ to drink into the early hours
- The Munday’s cocktail lounge – serving specialist cocktails and hosting private parties
- The Back Bar – a more modern, relaxed and airy location
- The Vault – a 250-person cellar live music venue that hosts local bands
- The Terrace Bar – perfect for whiling away the summer evenings
No Sign Bar enjoys a tranquil, cool atmosphere and really conveys a strong sense of history. The perfect place if you’re looking for something slightly maturer or to avoid the hustle and bustle of Wind Street.
Read more: How to Enjoy the Definitive Swansea Dylan Thomas Experience
ICE BAR
It may not be a venue carved out of frozen blocks of ice, but Wine Street’s Ice Bar is, if you’ll excuse the pun, one of the coolest places around.
Enjoy a great value night out with 2-4-1 on cocktails and a huge selection of other drinks. The Ice Bar throws many themed nights to make your nights out even more special.
IDOLS BAR
Vibrant Idols Bar is a great place if you’re looking for a fun, unassuming night. We can’t guarantee you’ll enjoy the coolest, most sophisticated time of your life, but you’re sure to find an exciting, bustling atmosphere, cheap drinks and some of the biggest tunes.
PEPPERMINT BAR
Another high-end establishment that specialises in fresh, ever-tasty cocktails, Peppermint Bar provides a good range of decent grub in the day, and is top choice for a classy night out when the sun goes down.
REVOLUTION
As we know, Revolution is the king of all things vodka. From various flavours to elaborate, enticing cocktails for you to enjoy, this bar really knows its way around a few shots of the clear stuff.
Earlier in the day, ‘Revs’ does its fair share of tasty grub, but it’s in the evening when – like most of Wind Street – it really comes into its own, with plenty of friendly revellers enjoying the essence of one of Wales’ greatest drinking locations.
Read more:
- 6 Reasons to Try the Mumble Mile
- Swansea Marina’s Best Restaurants
- 7 Things Every Tourist Needs to Know Before Visiting Swansea
BOOK YOUR STAY AT THE DRAGON HOTEL, SWANSEA
3 minutes walk from Wind Street, The Dragon Hotel is one of Swansea’s most loved hotels and the perfect base from which to explore all that West Wales has to offer.
RESERVE ONLINE TODAY – WEEKEND PRICES START FROM £75
(Images courtesy of Popworld, Bambu Bar, Pitcher & Piano, JD Wetherspoon, No Sign Wine Bar, Peppermint, Revolution)