The 10 best bars with live music in Cheltenham

I went to my first ever gig at frog and fiddle last night for the we stand for trans gig and it did not disappoint! I also took my partner who is from Sweden here and he loved it! He also loved that he noticed one of his Finnish friends bands was on the wall and had performed there what a small world! The staff and atmosphere when you walked in was super friendly. Drinks are reasonably priced they also have mocktail options if you don’t drink alcohol. Toilets were super clean and loved the big mirror for pictures. The performances are held in the barn which is a separate part so if you want to take a break from the music and just chat with your friends you can sit outside or in the bar area. There are also outdoor heaters in the garden bit for evenings when it’s a bit chillier. You can also order tickets in advance on their website which are cheaper but also on the door aswell that will cost a bit more.They also have karaoke rooms which I hope to do one day! I had such a fantastic time last night that I’m looking forward coming here again after hearing so many good things about this place from my coworker and many people from Cheltenham! This place is such a great safe space for lgbt , alternative , punk , rock , emo etc community!

First time visiting... will defo return. We booked to see G2R, great atmosphere, staff were on it, even when the bar was rammed, they were still super happy and smashing through the orders. Unable to buy food there, but you can order outside and bring it in... bonus

I've been to a lot of small live music venues across the UK in the last few years (mainly for alternative, metal & hardcore gigs) and this is still my favourite one. The Frog is the centre of the alternative/rock/metal live music scene in Gloucestershire - I've discovered some brilliant bands, both local and from other cities, by attending gigs here. I highly recommend checking out a gig here or one of the free events (e.g. Frogfest, held every September) - their Instagram account is kept up to date and worth checking. Consistently friendly staff and security, and an overall welcoming and safe atmosphere. The ability to bring food in from outside is a plus (I recommend from nearby Porketta, Wakame or Meat the Greeks). Even when there's no events on, it's a great pub with lots of other things to keep you entertained (pool, darts, loads of TV screens showing sports, karaoke, cute dogs)

Went to see Drag Wars: Heat 1, best night I’ve had in a long time and not just because of the show, but the staff are very friendly and helpful, the music isn’t overwhelmingly loud (for me), and the soundproofing is relatively good for a pub with an events room. Teapot cocktails are lovely too!

Great atmosphere and a good sound setup for live music. Friendly staff.

Favourite pub in Cheltenham! I love their cocktails in a teapot and the staff are always welcoming. With darts, pool and karaoke, it's a great night out for a group, and they often host bands if you just want a drink and some music. Couldn't recommend them enough, looking forward to my next visit!

This place has it all, you can take your own food in, decent beer's and ales. Good size garden out the back and pool tables upstair. Its also a great venue for bands to play with a proper raised stage.

What a great find. Really cool atmosphere and the food was really amazing. A little pricey but so tasty. I had the Big V vegetarian burger and the insanely delicious Truffle Parmesan Chips. Not a lot of zero alcohol options and the beer menu above the bar needed updating because my colleague’s first choice options were no longer available. Would definitely come here again though.

Fun and funky pub. Lots of events and rooms to play in. We have been holding our Cheltenham Speakers Club in the back room for a couple of years. Second Tues each month. Starts 7pm. Come along if you fancy improving your communication skills.

Great place with good atmosphere. Food is awesome!

I like my soft drinks plain and always ask for such, and didn’t realise this would be a problem for the staff here. I don’t mean the server who poured the drink in the first place, it seemed like they were still new and probably did the ‘perfect serve’ on autopilot. It happens. It would have been great if they hadn’t had the ‘some customers are fussy’ conversation while I was in hearing distance, however. Some of what was said didn’t make me feel at all welcome. Would have been 1 star but they did correct the drink quickly.

Darwin the 5 month old Vizsla absolutely loved his second trip to Bottle of Sauce this evening. So many people giving him fuss, including all the lovely staff (apart from one, who thought he should leave! 😞🤷🏻‍♂️). Looking forward to going back again soon.

A wonderful evening with pizza, a proper DJ, efficient and immensely friendly staff. Lots to drink and zero hostility. A mixed flow access to indoor and outdoor spaces. I was attending a wedding celebration and I have to say, it was excellent. More to explore. An excellent venue.

If your a vegan I really recommend the burgers here and it's half price on Monday's Good selection of beers and wines It has a event room but I haven't seen anything on when I've been there

The two of us had an early dinner on a Friday night. Was very quiet in the restaurant area, the bar area was more busy. Our waitress Jess was good, highly attentive & looked after us well. We were provided with a jug of water & small plate of popcorn without asking, which on a hot day is a nice touch. From 4pm to 7pm weekdays there's an offer for any 2 x classic cocktails for £16.95, which is ok. Food came really quickly, we just ordered mains, for the price felt the portion sizes were small than I would of anticipated. Overall a nice place to eat would visit again

A place with a great atmosphere and service. Lots of vegetarian options to choose from. The food was yummy although when it was served fries didn't look amazing so I was nicely surprised with taste. The fries looked very dry however they were crunchy on the outside and really soft inside with yummy spices. Desserts were amazing. What could be better- the halloumi hanging kebab portion was quite small, our chilli oil had no chilli and the music was so loud that we had to shout to each other. Otherwise perfect.

We had lunch today at The Botanist. Grant provided a super friendly and informative service. When we arrived, he told us to bare with him as he was the only person working the restaurant but apart from having 10 tables to deal with, service was really quick. The “Forager” is the best vegan burger I’ve ever had. Please keep it on the menu!

The Botanist is an above average venue for your typical pub style food. It offers a decent range of burgers and plenty of vegetarian options which should mean there's choice for everyone. The atmosphere in here is very vibrant, helped by all the greenery which is spread out everywhere. On the night we went there was also a fantastic guitarist providing great entertainment. The food itself was nice, although with a little effort could have been even better. The chips for instance were as greasy as I have ever experienced, over the top grease and while my cauliflower burger was good, it was also a little firm. Still, the atmosphere made up for the small flaws, meaning we will likely eat here again in the future and try out some of the other dishes.

Bar staff are lovely. Drinks are nice. It is very loud in there with minimal people and you can't really hear each other across the table. Probably could do with some hanging baffles on the ceiling to reduce the acoustics. Would not recommend for someone with sensory issues as this bar will make you feel like you can hear every conversation in the place. Still a nice place to go.

We had a few drinks and great food. The staff were exceptional friendly and helpful. Very well priced and this is why we will be coming back

I used the venue on 11th Oct for my leaving Do. Communication prior with head office and Alice at Cheltenham was excellent. On the day, staff were really attentive, food excellent considering a party of 20, & venue/atmosphere really lovely. Hannah kept us updated throughout day and into the evening with bar tab and moving locations. Would defo use again & recommend to family & friends

Went on a Friday. Was expecting it to be more busy so we reserved a table but there was a lot less than expected which was nice. Didn't order much food so can't speak for that, what we did get was okay. Service was excellent though 😊

This was a fantastic pub for drinking, where me and my friend were even welcomed at the get go by the bouncers! The counter is well-presented, design creates a welcoming atmosphere and so does the DJ playing a variety of music live. A great thing was they have the rarity of Strawberry Cider, also the seating is comfortable here!

I really like this pub for the vibe and the drinks. The staff are always really attentive and serve with a smile. The vegan options aren't great. They used to do an awesome vegan mac and cheese but they've stopped that and all of the vegan option are deep fried which is sad :(

Oh emmm geeeee! Angie is such a lush human being! Thanks so much for helping us choose drinks and food and just being an all round ANGEL!!! You’re the best and genuinely made our night with your love and laughter! Thank you! Xxx

Banged in the double burger whilst taking in a game. Staff were friendly, a quiet Thursday so difficult to guage the atmosphere so couldn't pop it to a 5*

Absolutely fantastic service from Angie!! Deserves a pay rise how amazing she was!! Who ever gets Angie as their server you better feel privileged!!

Angie was so attentive to our table and provided a lovely service - absolutely made our visit! Would definitely recommend the bottomless brunch!

Went on Easter Monday and it was so quiet. The French dip sandwich was a misleading as it came in a hotdog bun but was still very tasty and filling. Steak was juicy and flavoursome the salad was actually seasoned well too. The potatoes could have been crispier in my opinion.

Hubby and I didn't have a reservation for Sunday roast, we literally walked in. Staff were lovely. Roast Dinner was absolutely fabulous with plenty of vegetables, there was no issue with "extra gravy" on the side...I love gravy! Couldn't recommend The Tavern enough for a great roast dinner in Central Cheltenham. We literally rolled out!

Ordered the French Dip, but they should call it the French Dreamy Delicious. I ate it a week ago and I'm still thinking about it. 100% written by a human because no AI can truly appreciate how good this tastes and would write a positive review so poorly. Anyway the staff are great too.

Went for lunch today and had the most epic Caesar salad!! The virgin mojitio and Rosemary salt fries were also a hit. Will definitely be back.

Had a great lunch here. Really good proce for an EPIC French Dip! Service was spot on. Great selection of beers. And £5 frozen Margaritas?!?!?! Hell Yes!

We celebrated my daughter’s 30 th birthday last Saturday at The Tavern in Cheltenham. We had the room upstairs and it was wonderful. The service was excellent and nothing was too much trouble! The waitress serving us was cheerful, helpful and professional. Sam the manager is approachable, thoughtful and experienced.Everything went so well and the food was so delicious! Would highly recommend!

We have been to the Tavern about 4 or 5 times over the past 3 years. The food is very good and the service is always good. Today we went just for a drink and it's a very welcoming place. The staff are very chatty. Worth trying for anyone who hasn't been before I went at the weekend for lunch. We both has the steak tartare for starter. Then I had the massive rack of ribs for main and my girlfriend had the lamb shank. We finished it off with a slice of cheese cake between us. Very good service and the food was very nice. We also had a nice bottle of Malbec and they serve Deya there which is a great pint. Update. I've now been to the Tavern about 10 times and it's great. I love that they use local beers. They have recently changed their menu to have a large amount of small plates but still with the option for main meals. Great food and great atmosphere. We took our 8 month old baby with us recently and they were more than welcoming.

I recently visited Tailors Eating House, a pub located in Cheltenham, United Kingdom, with some friends after a day of activities. Our overall experience was quite pleasant. The staff at the pub were friendly and welcoming, which added to the positive atmosphere of the place. One of the highlights of our visit was the wide variety of beverages available. They had an impressive selection of drinks, from local ales to cocktails and non-alcoholic options. It catered to different tastes, making it a great spot for a group with diverse preferences. The only reason I'm not giving it a full 5-star rating is that while the drinks and service were excellent, the food menu was a bit limited, and some of the dishes we ordered were just average. Nonetheless, if you're primarily looking for a place to enjoy a nice drink and good company, Tailors Eating House is a great choice. I would definitely recommend it, and I'm giving it a solid 4-star review.

excellent experience!! served by marcie, she was so lovely and helpful. the food was delicious and the service was even better! 10/10 would recommend, and definitely will be back again.

Amazing 👏 Lovely food, the service was great and very friendly staff. Totally recommend 👌

A really enjoyable Sunday roast. Decent value for money as the meat was excellent but could have done with more veg between 4 of us. Be warned, if you are looking for a restaurant setting this is not it. Sport shown on all the screens and there are plenty of regulars stood drinking so expect some noise. The pub however is really nice and a great selection of ales.

Lovely eatery/pub nestled in the town centre. Stuff were great and the food was good value but one issue was the gammon could have been cooked a little more, unfortunately nobody came to ask if everything was ok. That side I'd go back again.

I've always liked coming here for drinks. First time eating here, great choice of roast meats. Service was so friendly from all of the staff.! Table service which I wasn't expecting. Food was great with top quality presentation. Banoffe pie was homemade and delicious. Definitely recommend and will be returning.!

Nice pub with a good atmosphere. Had a disappointing 'ghost roast' which not only lacked any central feature (the clue's in the name) but if I was going to brutally honest also included rather cold congealed gravy, some uncrispy parsnips and slightly strange cauliflower cheese.. I feel ungrateful writing this as we were treated to lunch by some friends who had eaten here before but as a vegetarian, I couldn't recommend the roast option or the crumble, which was bland (lacking in any of the promised berries) and had far too much crumble. A smaller tastier crumble would have been better.

Great night with some great dj's #houserules #merch #philchillum #andyartus

Gave a voucher for a free shot on entry with first drink. Was dead inside and had no atmosphere which is a shame. Our group of 5 were the only ones in there on a Friday night at midnight.

hi good night on saturday I was there at the club, I asked a bartender to charge my cell phone, had to go with my friend to buy something to eat, but when I went to the au club, it was closed, I need my cell phone urgently, I use it a lot my cell phone for work , I would like to know how I could get my cell phone back , I can't wait all week to get my cell phone back , thank you for the answer

Great spot, busy around the staircase entrance, I think they would be good turning down the volume a tiny tiny bit though.

Best Cocktails in town! Great staff and awesome music! Why go anywhere else?

Lovely staff.. Lovely atmosphere! Really had a lush time there!

Great venue, amazing staff and an incredible range of drinks, the perfect combination for a night out!

Went for a drink on a Saturday night after a meal elsewhere. Quirky cocktail bar with great atmosphere and happy well trained staff. Broad range of cocktails to suit all tastes, interesting decor, music was good, but a little loud to chat. Will definitely visit again.

One of my favourite bars in Cheltenham, 2-4-1 cocktails deals available most days and this represents great value as the cocktails are spot on. Quirky décor and theme, which works well with the building. Nice outdoor smoking area with heaters. Open Mic nights are a good laugh. Paired with 13 club at top of town so keep a receipt for free entry.

Been her a couple times and wouldn't recommend it, they're a bit mixed up. It's would be great for a nice bar to have a drink with friends you want to talk to but then the music is always club level loud and there's no dance floor. Also had a terrible tasting mojito, how do you get a mijito wrong? Had live music once that was alright.

Went here after a show at the Everyman on a Friday night. Nice outdoor seating area which was great as it was a warm night. The staff were really friendly and nothing was too much trouble. Had a chat with the owner who was also lovely. Would really recommend as a relaxing place to go for a drink, it’s got a great atmosphere.

Nice pizza at a very reasonable price. Good happy hour 5 - 9 but cocktails were all a bit fussy with no classics. Nice Brocklen larger.

Didn't feel they had a clue on what drinks they had in stock, had not much choice which is a bad thing. Because of this I felt it was rather pretentious. Service was ok but I felt they let themselves down.

Nice bar, good music, nice selection of cocktails however don't expect them to blow you away.