City guide · Northern Ireland
First date ideas in Belfast: where to meet and how to get home
By The Fling Compass editorial team · Last checked
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Belfast city centre is compact, and the Cathedral Quarter, a few minutes' walk north of City Hall, has most of the old pubs and late bars you'd want for a first drink. It's busy, the streets are short and you're never far from a way home.
Getting home late got easier with Translink's late-night Metro buses, which run every Friday and Saturday night through 2026 and leave the city centre at midnight, 1am and 2am depending on the route.
Taxis work differently from the rest of the UK, with different classes and rules about when you can hail one. Read the getting-home section before you go.
Where to go in Belfast
Cathedral Quarter
Commercial Court, Hill Street and Waring Street. Cobbled lanes, old pubs and plenty of people out.
City Hall and Donegall Square
The middle of town, and the starting point for several of the late-night buses.
Smithfield and Union
Just west of the centre, behind the Central Library. Quieter and more local.
Places for a first drink
Busy enough to feel relaxed, quiet enough to talk, and easy to leave. Check opening times on their own sites before you go.
- 01
The Duke of York
pub · Cathedral Quarter
A traditional pub in Commercial Court with a huge collection of Irish whiskey. Almost always busy, so there's a friendly hum around you.
- 02
The Dirty Onion
bar · Hill Street
A big, busy bar on Hill Street with live music. Lively but sociable, and right in the Cathedral Quarter.
- 03
The Merchant Hotel
hotel bars · Waring Street
A grand five-star hotel with a cocktail bar and a jazz bar. Good if you want somewhere a little special, with staff around all evening.
- 04
Bittles Bar
pub · Upper Church Lane
A small, well-known pub in a distinctive wedge-shaped building near Victoria Square. Cosy and central.
- 05
Sunflower Public House
pub · Union Street
A simple corner pub behind the Central Library with no gimmicks and a security cage on the door left over from the Troubles. Friendly and local.
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Getting home
Translink's late-night Metro buses run every Friday and Saturday night in 2026 on 11 main routes. They leave from Chichester Street, Donegall Square North, Donegall Square West and Custom House Square at midnight, 1am or 2am depending on the route, and normal fares apply.
Class A taxis have a yellow roof sign. In the Belfast zone they can be pre-booked, and can only be hailed from midnight to 6am on Friday and Saturday nights and on public holidays. Class B taxis, with a roof sign that's white at the front and yellow at the back, can be hailed, booked or taken from a rank anywhere in Northern Ireland.
Class C cars are pre-booked only. They don't carry a roof sign and can't be hailed or used on ranks.
Staying safe in Belfast
- Don't use a taxi that isn't displaying the proper taxi plates or labels. NI Direct is clear on that.
- If you're unsure about a car, NI Direct has an online checker: enter the registration number to see whether it's a licensed taxi.
- Pre-book at busy times, which NI Direct also recommends, especially if you'll be leaving late on a weekend.
- Find your late-night bus's departure point before you meet, so you're not looking it up at midnight.
The full list is in our first-date safety checklist.
Get the UK first-date safety checklist
A one-page checklist for the night before, sent to your inbox. Free, and you can unsubscribe in one click.
First dates in Belfast: questions
Are there late-night buses in Belfast?
Yes. Translink runs late-night Metro services every Friday and Saturday night in 2026, leaving the city centre at midnight, 1am and 2am depending on the route.
Can I hail a taxi in Belfast?
Class B taxis (white and yellow roof sign) can be hailed at any time. Class A taxis (yellow roof sign) can be hailed in the Belfast zone only from midnight to 6am on Friday and Saturday nights and public holidays; otherwise book one.
Where's a good area for a first date in Belfast?
The Cathedral Quarter. It's central, busy, full of old pubs and close to Custom House Square, where several late-night buses start.