Peter Street has gone through many changes in recent years, most recently transforming from being the magnet for stag parties, hen nights and drunken revellers to becoming a more upmarket area with some of the best cocktail lounges and Champagne bars in Manchester city centre.
Alongside the more sophisticated bars, there's still a good selection of party venues for those looking for some raucous fun.
Stretching from St Peter's Square down to the junction with Deansgate, the Peter Street area is the ideal place to visit for pre-show drinks with The Opera House, Bridgewater Hall, AMC Cinema, Manchester Central (G-Mex), MICC, Palace Theatre and Manchester Town Hall all very close by.
At the bottom of Peter Street, cross over Deansgate onto Quay Street and you'll find more bars together with the Spinningfields business, shopping and restaurant development, just behind the Opera House.
Plush Manhatten-style cocktail lounge inside the 5 star Radisson Bluu Edwardian Hotel, formerly the historic Free Trade Hall. Red lanterns lend a decadent air, with large ceilings, velvet red walls, black woodwork, antique gold wall coverings and black crocodile skin hide furniture complementing the excellent cocktails and fine wines
Fantastic Champagne and cocktail bar next to Manchester Central. Over a hundred Champagnes are available at very reasonable prices, all sourced from a wide range of large and small houses throughout the Champagne region. The award-winning mixologists also serve over 80 cocktails
Manchester's most lavish casino, boasting an amazing cocktail bar, VIP lounge, live entertainment room, 2 restaurants and casino gaming tables set over two floors and open to 6am, making it ideal for drinks both before and after the show. Just off Peter Street in the huge Great Northern Warehouse next to Manchester Central
The huge flagship branch of the Mancunian rum bar chain boasts live music every night, salsa lessons, cocktails and over 50 premium rums. Open late every evening this has quickly become the busiest bar in town. Opened October 2012
Exciting chic, après ski pop-up cocktail bar in Spinningfields, open from November until Spring 2013, inspired by the luxury chalet retreats of Courchevel 1850, Verbier and St. Moritz. From the same multi-award winning team behind The Yacht Club and Summer House, they also run the Chalet Bar next to the ice rink.
What is widely recognised as Manchester's best cocktail bar can be found in Spinningfields, just behind The Opera House. Cocktails are carefully crafted using a variety of molecular drinks-making techniques that are every bit as much about the presentation as their extraordinary taste.
Located underneath the Georgio Armani store in Spinningfields, a block down from Peter Street on Deansgate, this beautiful Pacific Rim themed cocktail bar opened in May 2011 to widespread acclaim. From the same team behind The Alchemist, the cocktails are every bit as impressive whilst the DJ emulator is a real talking point
= real ale, 
= cocktail menu, 
= food served, 
= disco, 
= live music, 
= open after 2am
= beer garden, 
= live sports, 
= pool table, 
= stag/hen parties welcome, 
= gay bar
= karaoke , 
= quiz nights, 
= kids welcome, 
= popular with united fans, 
= popular with city fans
