Abel Heywood
Northern Quarter pub that hosts the Dungeons & Flagons pop-up board game café every Monday, alongside the Kiki Board Game Family LGBTQ+ meetup.
2 regular events
Home / Manchester / Board game cafés and bars
Venue type · Greater Manchester Board game cafés and bars in Manchester
Board game cafés and bars across Greater Manchester: cafés with game libraries and pubs that host regular board game nights.
We list 14 board game cafés and bars across Greater Manchester, in 5 towns and neighbourhoods. Between them they run 16 regular sessions, most often on Mondays and Tuesdays. Five of those are marked as beginner friendly. All of them have tables to play on site.
Most active venues
- Goodtime Games, Manchester 4 regular nights: Mindful Monday (Mondays), Blood on the Clocktower (Tuesdays)
- Abel Heywood, Manchester 2 regular nights: Kiki Board Game Family meetup (Mondays), Dungeons & Flagons Pop-up Board Game Cafe (Mondays)
- The Old Monkey, Manchester 2 regular nights: Board Games at The Old Monkey (Mondays), Blood on the Clocktower (Tuesdays)
- The Wharf, Manchester 2 regular nights: Tabletop Manchester: Monday Night Games (Mondays), Tabletop Manchester: Wednesday Social Deduction (Wednesdays)
- Benito Lounge, Manchester 1 regular night: Board Games at Benito Lounge (Tuesdays)
14 venues
Benito Lounge
Chorlton café bar where Manchester Board Game Legends run a free board game night every other Tuesday, usually with 20 to 50 players. Food is served until 9pm.
1 regular event
Geek Retreat Bury
Gaming café with free-to-play board games, comics and food, plus trading card events and D&D sessions, including junior games.
Goodtime Games
Board game café and shop in West Didsbury with a library of around 650 games and a vegetarian and vegan menu. Walk-ins are welcome when there's space, though booking is recommended.
4 regular events
Lass O'Gowrie
Pub hosting Post Apocalyptic Game Night every other Tuesday, focused on quicker party and social deduction games like Codenames and The Resistance. New players welcome.
1 regular event
Pigeon Beer Wanderer
Taproom behind Piccadilly hosting a monthly Sunday Dungeons & Flagons pop-up board game café.
1 regular event
Seven Bro7hers Beerhouse Ancoats
Craft beer bar hosting the Dungeons & Flagons pop-up board game café downstairs every Wednesday (18+, access by stairs).
1 regular event
Seven Bro7hers Social, MediaCity
Bar at MediaCity with free-to-use board games and cards.
The Bee and Thistle Board Game Cafe
Licensed board game café in Altrincham town centre, in the former Waltons Models unit.
The Brunswick
Pub on Piccadilly hosting the Dungeons & Flagons pop-up board game café every Tuesday.
1 regular event
The Dice Box Stockport
Board game café with a library of hundreds of games, opened in 2024. Runs social game nights and themed evenings through Eventbrite.
The Giving Tree Cafe
Community café for South Manchester's international community, running a Board Games Social on some Saturday evenings. RSVP on Meetup, as spaces are limited.
1 regular event
The Old Monkey
Pub with an upstairs room used by Manchester Board Game Legends every other Monday and by Meeple People MCR for Blood on the Clocktower. Rules taught, all levels welcome.
2 regular events
The Wharf
Castlefield pub that's home to Tabletop Manchester, a turn-up-and-play board and card game group running weekly since 2014, with around 50 players a week. Wednesdays bring social deduction in the back room.
2 regular events
Regular nights
The weekly line-up. Times and formats can change, so check with the venue before you travel.
Monday
From 17:00 Every Monday
Tabletop Manchester: Monday Night Games
The Wharf, Manchester. Open board game night, bring or join games
Board games Entry: Free Beginner friendly
From 18:00 Every other Monday
Board Games at The Old Monkey (Manchester Board Game Legends)
The Old Monkey, Manchester. Open board game night upstairs, arrive before 19:30
Board games Entry: Free
From 18:15 Every Monday
Kiki Board Game Family meetup
Abel Heywood, Manchester. LGBTQ+ social board game night
Board games Entry: £2.50
18:30 to 22:30 Every Monday
Dungeons & Flagons Pop-up Board Game Cafe
Abel Heywood, Manchester. Pop-up board game café with a games library
Board games Entry: £2.50
18:30 to 22:30 Every Monday
Tuesday
From 18:00 Every other Tuesday
Board Games at Benito Lounge (Manchester Board Game Legends)
Benito Lounge, Manchester. Open board game night
Board games Entry: Free
18:30 to 22:30 Every Tuesday
Blood on the Clocktower
Goodtime Games, Manchester. Social deduction (advanced session)
Board games Book ahead
18:30 to 22:30 Every Tuesday
Dungeons & Flagons Pop-up Board Game Cafe
The Brunswick, Manchester. Pop-up board game café with a games library
Board games Entry: £2.50
From 18:45 1st and 4th Tuesday of the month
Blood on the Clocktower (Meeple People MCR)
The Old Monkey, Manchester. Social deduction, rules walkthrough for new players
Board games Entry: Free Beginner friendly
19:00 to 22:00 Every other Tuesday
Post Apocalyptic Game Night
Lass O'Gowrie, Manchester. Party and social deduction games
Board games Entry: Voluntary 50p
Wednesday
18:00 to 23:00 Every Wednesday
Tabletop Manchester: Wednesday Social Deduction
The Wharf, Manchester. Blood on the Clocktower and Werewolves in the back room
Board games Beginner friendly
18:30 to 22:00 Every other Wednesday
Midweek Mixer
Goodtime Games, Manchester. Social mixer to meet new players
Board games Book ahead Beginner friendly
19:00 to 23:00 Every Wednesday
Dungeons & Flagons Pop-up Board Game Cafe
Seven Bro7hers Beerhouse Ancoats, Manchester. Pop-up board game café with a games library (18+)
Board games Entry: £2.50
Saturday
From 18:30 Roughly every other Saturday
Board Games Social
The Giving Tree Cafe, Manchester. Hosted board games social
Board games Book ahead Beginner friendly
Sunday
13:00 to 17:00 Monthly, on a Sunday
Dungeons & Flagons Pop-up Board Game Cafe
Pigeon Beer Wanderer, Manchester. Pop-up board game café with a games library
Board games Entry: £2.50
From 18:00 Every Sunday
Common questions
Which board game cafés and bars in Manchester run the most game nights?
The venues with the most regular nights are Goodtime Games in Manchester (4 nights), Abel Heywood in Manchester (2 nights) and The Old Monkey in Manchester (2 nights). We list 14 venues in all across Greater Manchester.
Which night of the week is busiest at board game cafés and bars in Manchester?
Mondays and Tuesdays have the most regular sessions. Nine sessions run every week. The Manchester calendar shows what's on from today.
Are there beginner-friendly nights at board game cafés and bars in Manchester?
Yes. Five regular nights are marked as welcoming new players, including sessions at Goodtime Games, The Giving Tree Cafe and The Old Monkey. Staff at most venues are happy to teach, so mention it when you arrive.
How much do game nights cost at board game cafés and bars in Manchester?
Four regular nights are free to join. Where there's an entry fee it is usually £2.50. Fees change, so check with the venue before you go.
How much is a board game café in Manchester?
Most cafés charge a table or cover fee on top of food and drink. For example: Abel Heywood: £2.50 per person for the Dungeons & Flagons games night. Goodtime Games: Optional membership £34.99 a year. Pigeon Beer Wanderer: £2.50 per person for the Dungeons & Flagons games afternoon. Prices change, so check the café's own site before you book.