Eglantine Inn

Rank. Fish Tacos are a bad idea. Battered fish, with melted mature cheese in a wrap. Actually couldn’t tell what I was tasting. Very bad combo. Took 40 minutes for this «food» to arrive too. Not good at all. Oh, and those tacos cost me £8.95. Will not be back.

I used to go to the club part of the Eg constantly when I was a student! I loved Wednesday nights as they always had silly activities to take part in, like sumo wrestling (wearing the big suits!), wet tshirt contests, jelly wrestling, and more! It was great craic back then, but I think I’m a bit too old for all that now! They do great drinks promos on certain nights so it’s worth keeping an eye out. The downstairs bar is more relaxing and you can sit and enjoy a tasty cocktail or some pub grub, which I remember enjoying. I do need to go back sometime soon as it’s been a while.

6 shots for 6 pounds? Whats not to love. If you get tequila they even give you a lemon for each. It also comes on a easy to carry tray.
The staff were really friendly and helpful in letting us know what we could and could not get for the 6 shots deal.
The tables were sticky, but it is a pub-​club so I can’t be too upset about that. We were unable to get seats but they looked pretty nice for the type of place it was.

This place has forever been known as the ‘Eg’ since the dawn of time. However, a couple of years ago, some Head Office-​type bright spark had the clever idea of sprucing up the outside and changing the name to the cringeworthy ‘Ye Olde Eglantine Inn’, then not really touching the interior. Talk about making a statement.
Once you’re past the wince-​inducing signage, however, the inside is pleasant. Spacious, bright and airy. The staff are friendly and the food, while clearly being geared towards the local student population, is good for what you pay. There are always beer and wine offers on too.
I wouldn’t know what the crowd is like at nighttime — I am a decade too old to be seen socialising here! — it always seems to do a good trade. But, you’ll be a lot more likely to find this boring old fuddy-​duddy sitting in the corner during the day with a pint and a newspaper.

The Eg as it is known to the locals is a pub situated on the Malone Road in South Belfast. I’m going to come out and say it right now. I can’t stand it! The bar down stairs is a very strange shape and from the look of the outside should be a lot bigger. Upstairs they do have some nights where the drinks are blindingly cheap but everyone knows about them and thus the queue for the bar is almost as long as the hangover you’ll get in the morning. They do sell six shots for six pounds which is great value, but it’s best to drink up and rush out!

Jeez Louise I’ve had some messy nights in this place! The cheesy tunes are pumping out from about 7pm until about 1pm on every typical student night!
Girls in very small outfits and blokes looking to pull them is the general feeling. If you want to actually dance then you are best to hit the dance floor upstairs in the corner or stay downstairs in your own area as on a busy night its hard to move about.
The drinks offers and food offers are targeted at students so you can pretty much get wasted on a tenner if you don’t mind necking shots.
This place can get a little rough but it is a fun bar to go to if you don’t like The Bot much or you can’t be bothered queuing for The Bot.
I’ve nothing but fond memories of The Eg and always preferred it to The Bot but it truly is a student bar and so I wouldn’t dream of going there anymore!

Theoretically, there’s nothing wrong with The Eg. It’s just not particularly spectacular either.
It’s definitely a bar for students — within spitting distance of Queen’s and the student-​tastic Stranmillis area — and this comes through in the offers available. Seriously, 6 shots for £6 is dangerous!
Upstairs normally features a DJ playing chart hits and classics and admission is generally free, so if you’re after a cheap night, it’s worth a try.
The thing about the Eg is that it has never quite managed to create the same buzz as its neighbour/​rival, The Bot. Take a look on a week night when the students are in town and you’ll see a big queue outside the Bot, while the Eg is at best comfortably busy and at worst, nearly empty. I never understood why this was, since the two bars always seemed similar to me — student, cheap, playing pop music, showing sport — and yet the Eg is like the Bot’s fat friend, looking on while the Bot gets all the attention.
This makes the atmosphere feel muted and subdued and that’s the only reason I’ve marked it down. In all other respects it’s a great student bar. It just needs more friends.

Studenty, cheap, cheerful and not as offensive as the Bot, The Eg is a pretty standard student pub. Whatever image you have in your head from that introduction is exactly what it is.
The food and drink is basic and inexpensive, with plenty of drinks promos on offer. There is a decent enough selection of drinks and cocktails, with all the usual suspects on the taps. The food is cheap enough and from experience, it was pretty tasty. Burger and chips is as exotic as it gets but there is nothing the matter with that sometimes.
My main experience with this place was one St Paddys day when me and a mate were walking down the Malone Road into town at about midnight and were drawn in by the music and the big crowds. Some more drinking and dance moves later we jumped in a taxi home after having a thoroughly good time. That being said, I was pretty much gone and doubt it would be quite as good sober.
The Eg does exactly what it says on the tin.

The Eg Bar is located on the Malone Road and is the ultimate student hangout.
With a whole host of drink offers, including the infamous ‘6 shots for £6′ and ‘3 for £5′, this really is the place to go for those on a student budget.
However, what is often forgotten about the Eg is the food and the service, both of which should outshine their drink offers.
The Eg has a variety of ‘pub-​food’ but cooked to a standard which is hard to beat in any restaurant setting.
It is also the ultimate place to go for any football matches, with two plasma screens at either end guaranteeing you a chance to see your favourite match.
Upstairs often boasts many club nights, with a variety of music throughout the week guaranteeing you a chance to dance.
Admission to the club nights is free most of the time but with the offers on upstairs as well as down you won’t mind paying any extra.
Situated so close to the Queen’s student residence can often mean the pub gets very crowded, particularly on match days so if you want to go for some football, make sure you are early otherwise you’ll have to stand.
Other things of note include a low bar for disabled customers and the availability of upstairs for private functions.
All in all it is a cheap and worthy night out for students, but if you are used to something more up market, you may give this a skip.

Short for the Eglantine, this watering-​hole is a popular destination for most Belfast students. I’ve many messy memories of my student days here. It’s in a lively spot, right across the street from the Wellington Park Hotel and the Botanic Inn, or ‘The Bot’ as it’s known by the locals. The downstairs bar has a lovely feel to it in the early evening, although when the crowds get in it can become messy enough!
I remember being there on New Years’ Eve a few years ago and spending most of the night on the stairs trying to get up to the dance floor! They have great drinks offers and cocktails, which are friendly for the student budget and the food is good too. The upstairs bar is great too, with space for dancing which isn’t massive, and with a crowd in it feels smaller. The music can be a mix of all sorts, pop/dance/charts/r’n’b, and it’s definitely good fun for a night out, and they show sports in the downstairs bar for the big sporting events. Food is served 12pm — 8pm Monday to Sunday.

This place has only recently started serving food! I was in for a meal recently and had the chicken goujons and some garlic chips, and was very satisfied. The prices were also quite average which was even better.
The staff are courteous and friendly, and seem to have good banter between eachother too.
I also imagine that this place would be a great place for a quiet drink too in the afternoon, or for some social gathering later in the evening when it becomes very busy.
Often they have drinks promotions (I myself have benefited from the 6 shots for £6 offer!) which are very popular for students.
Often they also have themed nights on upstairs which also attract many students.
Overall, I very much like the Eg, it has a relaxing atmosphere and good food and drink.

This is a studenty type bar opposite the bot. Its usually filled with the people who dont get into the bot and therefore is quiet until around 11pm. As it is normally filled with students, the drinks prices and promotions reflect this and it is also a handy place to drop in for a bite to eat. However, it lacks atmosphere and isn’t good for a night out, just a quiet drink.