Crocketts
Gin and cocktail bar
A small gin bar in a Grade II listed building on Upper Paul Street, just off Gandy Street, specialising in artisan gins distilled in the South West. Open since 2017.
📍 2 Upper Paul St, Exeter EX4 3NB
Fun bars for groups: 12 bars
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The Bootlegger
Speakeasy cocktail bar
A Prohibition-style speakeasy on Fore Street with freshly made cocktails and live jazz, swing, blues, soul and rock and roll.
📍 162-163 Fore St, Exeter EX4 3AT
The Cocktail Club
Cocktail bar
A two-floor cocktail bar on Gandy Street with party playlists and cocktail masterclasses, open until 2.30am on several nights.
📍 23 Gandy St, Exeter EX4 3LS
Darwin's Gin Parlour
Gin parlour and cocktail bar
A gin parlour on Magdalen Road themed around Charles Darwin, with local and international gins and a short list of classic and signature cocktails made with fresh ingredients.
📍 29 Magdalen Rd, Exeter EX2 4TA
Badavis Lounge
Cocktail and tapas lounge
A cocktail and tapas lounge on Longbrook Street with an outdoor terrace.
📍 47 Longbrook St, Exeter EX4 6AW
Coolings
Cocktail bar and restaurant
An independent bar on Gandy Street, just off the High Street, with cocktails, pizza and live music.
📍 11 Gandy St, Exeter EX4 3LS
Quayside Distillery and Floating Bar
Distillery and floating bar
A café, distillery and floating bar on the canal basin at Haven Road.
📍 60A Haven Rd, Exeter EX2 8DP
Oriels
Cocktail bar and venue
A cocktail bar and venue on the High Street with live music, resident DJs, karaoke and bottomless brunch.
📍 223-226 High St, Exeter EX4 3RH
The Botanist
Botanical bar and restaurant
A leafy bar and restaurant in the Guildhall Shopping Centre with a terrace and live music on Friday and Saturday.
📍 High St, Exeter EX4 3HP
Cosy Club
Bar and restaurant
An all-day bar and restaurant on Southernhay Gardens with eccentric interiors, cocktails and mocktails.
📍 1 Southernhay Gardens, Exeter EX1 1SG
Turtle Bay
Caribbean restaurant and rum bar
Caribbean food and rum cocktails in the Guildhall Shopping Centre, with two-for-one cocktails every day and zero-proof options.
📍 Guildhall Shopping Centre, Exeter EX4 3HP
On The Waterfront
Quayside restaurant and bar
A big bar and restaurant on Exeter Quay, with cocktails and outdoor seats by the river.
📍 4-9 The Quay, Exeter EX2 4AP
Map: fun bars for groups
Tap a pin for the bar. Numbers match the list.
Your questions
What are the best bars for groups in Exeter?
Start with Crocketts, The Bootlegger, The Cocktail Club, Darwin's Gin Parlour and Badavis Lounge. Our full list has 12 bars.
More Exeter bar guides
- Hidden and late-night barsHidden and late bars in Exeter: The Bootlegger, The Cocktail Club, Oriels and Luna Bar.
- Date nightRomantic cocktail bars in Exeter for a night for two: Crocketts, Badavis Lounge, Becketts
- Gin, rum, whisky and tequilaThe best Exeter bars for gin, rum, whisky and agave: Crocketts, Darwin's Gin Parlour, Quay
- Cocktail trailsReady-made Exeter cocktail trails on foot, Gandy Street and the centre, Fore Street to the
Who wrote this guide
This guide is written by the team at M.AD Agency. We run cocktail festivals in more than 20 towns and cities across the UK and Ireland and have worked with hundreds of bars since 2022. We love Exeter's bars, so we put this guide together from our own research and trusted local guides.
No bar paid to be included and nobody can buy a place. We check the guide regularly as bars open, change and close.
Our nearest cocktail festivals to Exeter
Want your bar in this guide?
Run a cocktail bar in Exeter that should be here? Get in touch at alice@m-ad.co.uk and tell us about it.