New study reveals that Sheffield is home to one of the UK's most popular nightlife spots
According to new research, Sheffield's Church, Temple of Fun venue has been crowned as one of the UK's most popular nightlife destinations. The venue received an 79.36% five-star review rate based on online reviews.
Brighton's Alcotraz Penitentiary tops the ranking, with a 96.30% five-star review rate. In order to determine the ranking, the study analysed online reviews to reveal which entertainment bars in the UK have the highest overall customer ratings.
A new study by Shuffly.com, a shuffleboard manufacturer, has identified the best entertainment venues across the UK based on customer reviews and ratings.
Sheffield's Findings:
According to new data, Sheffield’s Church, Temple of Fun venue is one of the UK's most popular nightlife destinations. With a 79.36% five-star review rate, the bar ranks within the UK's top 25 nightlife spots.
The unique venue immerses guests in religious iconography while offering gaming experiences like PS4 gaming pods, arcade machines, and pool tables. Church, Temple of Fun also offers an exclusively vegan food and drinks menu, which has been praised by visitors.
The study reinforces Sheffield's reputation as a nightlife hotspot, with the city's Roxy Ball Room branch also appearing among the UK's most popular bars.
Located on Charter Square, the popular bar received an 86.59% five-star review rate, ultimately placing the venue in fourteenth place.
Roxy Ball Room offers an interactive range of games, including beer pong, shuffleboard, and crazy golf, as well as a sought-after food and drinks menu.
The rest of the study:
According to the data, Brighton is home to the most popular entertainment bar in the UK. The city’s Alcotraz Penitentiary has secured a 96.30% five-star review rate from nearly 2,500 Google reviews, placing it ahead of all other entertainment bars in the country.
Alcotraz Penitentiary is a prison-themed cocktail bar, featuring live actors and immersive storytelling. Guests are invited to participate in the theatrical experience as prisoners who are attempting to discreetly smuggle in spirits behind bars.
Manchester’s Alcotraz Penitentiary secured the second position overall, with nearly 1,500 reviews and an impressive 96.29% of customers awarding five stars. Fans of the Manchester venue have described the cocktails as ‘delicious’ while praising the bar’s immersive atmosphere and ‘amazing actors.’
Leicester’s Roxy Ball Room is identified as the UK’s third-most popular entertainment venue. Located in Humberstone Gate, the bar received a 94.70% five-star review rate from nearly 2,000 online reviews.
The venue’s blend of interactive games such as beer pong and shuffleboard, paired with a popular food and drinks menu, has clearly struck a chord with Leicester visitors looking for immersive nightlife experiences.
Liverpool’s Alcotraz Penitentiary took the fourth spot in the ranking, with an impressive 93.59% five-star review rate across nearly 1,000 online reviews. The speakeasy prison-themed cocktail bar offers bespoke cocktails, but guests are invited to bring their own bottle of liquor to smuggle past the prison’s ‘warden.’
The Birmingham branch of Roxy Ball Room is identified as the UK’s fifth-most popular entertainment venue, achieving a 92.11% five-star review rate from nearly 2,000 online reviews. Located in Victoria Square, the venue offers a variety of games from pool to crazy golf. Guests are invited to create their own gaming experiences, making the venue a perfect option for all occasions.
London’s Alcotraz Penitentiary is in sixth place, with an 89.37% five-star review rate. The study highlights how Alcotraz Penitentiary’s prison-themed venues dominate the overall ranking, showcasing the demand for immersive entertainment venues across the UK.
NQ64 in Newcastle is crowned the UK’s seventh-most popular entertainment bar, achieving an 89.29% five-star review rate.
Most notably, the venue is the first NQ64 branch to appear in the ranking. Located on Pilgrim Street, NQ64 offers a retro gaming experience with plenty of themed cocktails. Popular drinks include the GTA Spice City and the Kong Island Iced Tea, showcasing the venue’s popularity among gaming fans.
Roxy Ball Room branches dominate the remaining top 10 ranking. Cardiff’s Roxy Ball Room is in eighth place, with an 88.65% five-star review rate, while Manchester’s Roxy Ball Room follows closely behind with an 88.43% five-star review rate.
Edinburgh's Roxy Ball Room is crowned the UK's tenth-most popular entertainment venue. Located on Rose Street, the popular bar received a 88.26% five-star review rate based on over 1,000 online reviews.
Other popular UK entertainment venues include the Roxy Ball Room branches in both York and Liverpool’s Cavern Quarter.
Micky Verhaeg, the CEO and founder of Shuffly.com , commented on the study:
“Ultimately, this research demonstrates the growing demand for entertainment and activity-focused nightlife venues across the UK. It goes to show that customers are now looking beyond a good food and drinks menu when it comes to choosing a nightlife venue and are instead placing emphasis on the importance of an immersive experience.
“What's particularly interesting is how locations offering interactive games and activities dominate the rankings. This mirrors what we've seen with the increasing popularity of shuffleboard in venues across the UK.
"People want to be active participants in their night out rather than passive consumers, showcasing a demand for venues that combine gaming experiences alongside socialisation.
“It’s also interesting to see how the UK’s most popular entertainment bars aren’t just found in London but are spread out across the nation.
"While big branches like Alcotraz Penitentiary and Roxy Ball Room evidently dominate the ranking, it’s also exciting to observe how more unique venues like Sheffield’s Church, Temple of Fun and London’s Absinthe Parlour feature highly in the overall ranking.
“The research showcases that customers are now craving a unique experience when choosing a venue and are moving beyond traditional pubs and bars. This switch can partly be explained by social media usage, with guests looking for a fun and immersive nightlife experience that they can share across social media.”
Methodology:
· For each venue featured on Design My Night’s ‘Unusual Bars You Can’t Miss In 2026’ ranking, the research analysed data from Google Reviews to calculate the venues with the highest percentages of five-star customer reviews.
· Only venues with more than 500 Google Reviews were included in the study.
· The venues with the highest five-star customer review rates then determined the final ranking.