South Bend isn't necessarily known for it's nightlife - it may not be Madison or Ann Arbor, but make no mistake, it's still a college town...and without Greek life on campus, that town is the place to be. If you head into South Bend on any given weekend, you know exactly where to find Notre Dame students. Here's our list of the best places to drink in South Bend. Don't agree? Feel free to air your grievances in the comment section.
5. Cheers Pub
More of a neighborhood bar than a college bar (like Corby's), Cheers has good-ol' pub food to go along with excellent atmosphere.
It's a little more casual than the other places listed here (at least to Notre Dame students - in reality they're all pretty casual), so it might not be the place to go wild, but it's the perfect place for a relaxed, fun night out.
103 S Dixie Way. South Bend, IN 46637
4. Corby's Irish Pub
Here's the thing about Corby's: it's your completely prototypical college bar. It's got decently-priced drinks and pool tables, live music and an all-around good atmosphere.
But here's the thing about prototypical college bars: they can get boring after a while. Still, Corby's is as good as they come in South Bend, and it comes highly recommended by yours truly.
441 E Lasalle Ave. South Bend, IN 46617
3. Club Fever
Technically, it isn't a bar, but Club Fever earns merit as one because that's how Notre Dame students treat it. Despite the fact that it has three stories, students insist on using the basement, and only the basement. There are pool tables in the basement though, so...
222 South Michigan Street. South Bend, IN 46601
2. The Linebacker Lounge (aka The Backer)
The Backer is right across the street from campus (the only reasonable bar within reasonable walking distance) and gets treated as such.
It's easily as morally questionable as Finnegan's, but it holds a more special place in the hearts of many Notre Dame students - and a special place in hell to the rest. You either love The Backer or you hate The Backer, and that's exactly the way a bar should be.
1631 S Bend Ave. South Bend, IN 46617
1. The Blarney Stone (aka Finnegan's)
There is no establishment in South Bend more universally loved than Finnegan's. Why? Because it's a terrible, disgusting place.
Five years after you graduate, you'll be totally repulsed that you ever so much as set foot in Finnegan's, and paid a cover charge to get in. Seriously. Think about that for a minute...That's what makes this place so special.
113 Wayne Street. South Bend, IN 46601
RELATED: The Top 5 Places to Eat on Your Football Pilgrimage to South Bend
Back to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Newsfeed