Forget your default plan of just another game night of cards and fast food. We're smashing stereotypes and flipping the script on what a typical guys' night can really mean. Let's transform and expand it from a cliched evening at a sports bar and find some other unique and innovative guys' night-out ideas filled with laughter, beers, cigars, and friendly competition as you demonstrate feats of intellectual and physical prowess. So, let's get ready to grasp those rare, precious moments with your buddies and create unforgettable memories instead of simply passing the time passively drinking beer.
Our article on "Guys Night Out Ideas" provides 35 exciting and diverse suggestions for a memorable night with friends. From sports bar crawls and axe-throwing expeditions to virtual whiskey tastings and arcade nights, we have curated engaging activities catering to different interests, tastes in beer, and passions for great steaks.
No matter what you call your gathering of the guys ... Bro's Night Out, Men's Mingle, Dudes' Night, Fellas' Fiesta, Gents' Gathering, Boys' Bash, Man Cave Party, Blokes' Bonanza, Lads' Night, Pals' Playtime, Y-Chromosome Yay, Guys' Gala, Mancation (for a longer getaway), Gentlemen's Get-Together, Dapper Dudes' Dinner, Bromantic Evening, XY Extravaganza, Masculine Meetup, Men's Night on the Town, or even a Buddy Brouhaha, I think you're going to find something that fits your group of men perfectly.
So, let's start things off with some fun and unique ideas for your next guys night out!
Out And About Guys Night Ideas
The notion of a guy's night has become flexible in recent years to the point where guys night in and guys' nights out are almost interchangeable. Regardless of what activities that you and your group of men are interested in though, the "night out" activities for guys are still among the coolest, most diverse, and exciting options out there as far as I'm concerned!
Specialty "Bar & Restaurant" Experiences
Why settle for a sports bar when you can do something more fun and unique ...
Escape Room Bar: Combine the excitement of an escape room with a bar experience by visiting an escape room facility with a bar where you can celebrate your successful escape or drown your sorrows.
Axe Throwing Bar: Spend time at an axe-throwing bar where you can enjoy some friendly competition and practice your axe-throwing skills while enjoying drinks and snacks.
Top Golf Lounge: Visit a Top Golf venue with a lounge area with comfortable seating, a full bar, and a menu of delicious snacks and appetizers to enjoy between rounds of golf.
Magic Show Dinner Theater: Experience an enchanting evening at a magic show dinner theater where you can be amazed by mind-boggling illusions and enjoy a delicious dinner.
Food Truck Rally: Attend a food truck rally where you can sample a wide range of cuisines from different food trucks while enjoying outdoor seating and live music.
Speakeasy Lounge: Explore a hidden speakeasy-style lounge with a 1920s theme, craft cocktails, and a cozy ambiance.
Retro Arcade Bar: Spend the night at an arcade bar that features vintage arcade games, pinball machines, and a selection of craft beers on tap.
Karaoke Night: Find a karaoke bar where you can belt out your favorite tunes and have a fun sing-along night with your friends.
Cook Your Own Steak Restaurant: Visit a "cook your own steak" restaurant where you can select your preferred cuts of meat and grill them to perfection at your own table.
Exploring New Ethnic Food: Challenge your taste buds by trying a new ethnic cuisine that none of the guys has experienced before, whether it's Ethiopian, Lebanese, Thai, or something else entirely.
Brazilian BBQ (Churrascaria): Enjoy the authentic Brazilian barbecue experience at a churrascaria, where waiters bring skewers of succulent grilled meats directly to your table, and you can indulge in an all-you-can-eat feast.
Korean BBQ: Savor the flavors of Korean BBQ at a restaurant where you can grill marinated meats and enjoy them with various side dishes, known as banchan.
Sunset Cocktail Cruise: Embark on a relaxing sunset cocktail cruise, where you can enjoy scenic views, sip on cocktails, and unwind with friends while cruising on a river, lake, or ocean.
Private Craft Beer, Distillery, or Winery Tour
Most wineries, distilleries, and breweries will offer options for groups that include access to a private room, exclusive tastings, and even a behind-the-scenes tour of "how it's made". This can be an awesome opportunity to connect with your male friends while learning about something you guys are passionate about.
Night At The Museum (or Zoo)
Most zoos and museums offer night experiences where you can walk around and avoid crowds. For zoos this can especially be interesting because as the night gets later there will be far fewery kids around and you'll be able to experience the animals in a whole different way.
All You Can Eat Food Competition
Is there a challenge at your favorite restaurant that you've been wanting to take a shot at or is there just simply an AYCE offer that you know you can make the management regret? Whether we're talking about wings, hot dogs, pizza, hoagies, and ribeye's here ... your guys night out is the perfect time to ring the bell while your buddies cheer you on ... or laugh at your failure :)
Indoor Ideas for Guys Night
When the forecast calls for rain, or it's too cold to venture to the sports bar, don't let that dampen your guys' night. There are plenty of indoor activities that you can enjoy - imagine a steakhouse experience or a game night filled with your favorite cards & board games and a supply of cigars, within the comfort of your own home.
Card Games
Card games are a great addition to any guys' night, offering both entertainment and a bit of friendly competition. Poker is a classic choice where players bet based on the strength of their hands, combining strategy, bluffing, and luck. Another excellent option is Spades, a team-based game where players aim to accurately bid and win the number of tricks they predicted. In Spades, the game is played with a standard deck of cards, and spades are always the trump suit, leading to strategic plays and coordination between partners. Whether you're dealing cards for a high-stakes poker game or strategizing in Spades, card games can provide hours of fun and camaraderie. Try Spades online here to learn the game.
Steakhouse Grill Night Competition
One popular indoor activity is organizing a steakhouse-style cooking competition where each guy must prepare a steak dish within a certain time limit using specific ingredients. The winner gets bragging rights, admiration from their peers and maybe even a fresh pack of cigars; even better, you all get to enjoy a tasty meal together which might just beat the experience at a traditional steakhouse!
Guest Bartender "Pub Crawl"
After a hearty meal, create your own sports bar crawl atmosphere in the comfort of your home by setting up several different drink stations around the house. You can each take turns being the bartender, mixing drinks and serving ice-cold beers while enjoying some cards and Monopoly.
Video Game Tournament
Whether it's a video game night or a thrilling game of cards, indoor guys' nights always provide for creative and fun group activities that strengthen our bonds as friends. These affordable, inventive alternatives help ensure we all deserve time away from our busy lives to relax, compete, converse and create memorable experiences with our buddies.
Casino Night
What better way to bring the excitement of Las Vegas straight to your doorstep than with a themed casino night? Throw in a couple of board games into the mix to lighten up the mood. It's an excellent option for guys' night out if your group members enjoy competitive games and want a taste of high-rolling glamour. You don't even need to live near a casino to make this happen.
Build Your Ultimate Burger Competition
Start with some bodacious, big, meaty patties of Prime American beef and then pile it high with toppings to create the ultimate burger. Crown the winner as the Ultimate Burger Master in your group and bestow the honor that he has to host the next guys' night.
Chad, men's lifestyle expert on all things hip and cool, also suggests doing a virtual whiskey tasting in his article, sharing his advice on how to plan the ultimate guys' night out. https://www.unfinishedman.com/guys-night-ideas/
Great Outdoors Guys Night Activities
Who says your guys night out needs to be locked up inside? While certain times of year are more conducive to outdoor activities than others, there are some great options for a night out with your brothers in arms even during the winter.
Sports Competitions
Remember, the goal is to have fun with friends while creating long-lasting memories without penny-pinching. There are numerous budget-friendly ideas that are guaranteed to give everyone an enjoyable night out without breaking the bank. Whether this includes an evening round of Frisbee Golf or Skeep Shooting, outdoor sports competitions are a great way to get fresh air and adrenaline.
Night Sports Sessions
Depending on the season you may find different options here but we love the idea of gathering the guys together and hitting the slopes for night skiing or even a round a night golf under the lights. It's a different atmosphere and can be a lot of fun!
Night Fishing
Once again, this guys night activity will depend on the season, but whether it's bass fishing as you troll silently through a calm bayou or sit in a hut drinking been and warming your mittens in an ice fishing hut over a frozen lake - fishing is a great activity for your guys night out.
Team Up For a Mock Battle
For your "guys night in" activities you probably thought about doing an video game competition and that might have included some pretty heated COD battles ... but why not take that to the next level
Laser Tag: Engage in an exciting game of laser tag, where you'll navigate through darkened arenas, wear vests equipped with sensors, and use laser guns to "tag" opponents and score points.
Paintball: Experience the adrenaline rush of paintball as you strategize with your team, don protective gear, and engage in fast-paced battles using paintball markers to eliminate opponents.
Splatmaster: Splatmaster is a beginner-friendly version of paintball designed for younger players and beginners. It uses lower-impact paintball markers for a less intense experience.
Airsoft: Engage in realistic military-style skirmishes with airsoft guns that shoot plastic BBs. It offers a more authentic tactical experience compared to paintball.
Nerf War: Have a friendly Nerf war with foam dart blasters in various indoor or outdoor settings. Create obstacles and scenarios for added fun.
Archery Tag: Combine archery and dodgeball in a thrilling game of archery tag. Use foam-tipped arrows to eliminate opponents while avoiding getting hit yourself.
Everything But Sleeping ... Camping Trip
Most men I know love the notion of camping ... chopping wood, building fires, roasting meat, being able to fart or burp, and nobody can hear or smell it except for the guys around him. Plus, there are all sorts of cool camping gadgets and tools you can use here too. Unfortunately, so many men have family duties and obligations that prohibit them from being able to do a full overnight camping trip so a guys night adventure where you do everything but actually have to sleep on the ground could be a fabulous option for your next guys night out.
Sober Guys Night Ideas:
For many guys, nights out typically involve crowded social scenes and consuming alcohol. This doesn't have to be the way you run your guy's night out, though. Realistically, almost any idea can be made "sober" but some ideas such as a movie marathon, painting, spa night, or a cooking class are easier to gather around without feeling like alcohol will be part of the mixture.
This doesn't mean that you need to draw attention to it being a "Dry January" guys night. After all, times it's fun to try new things even if you aren't an alcoholic, and frankly, life doesn't always have to revolve around drinking. Sometimes the hustle and bustle of the city can be overwhelming, leaving one feeling drained and mentally fatigued. For this reason, a relaxing night out with buddies is just what the doctor ordered. Here are some luxurious ways to unwind with your friends.
Guys Spa Night Out
Spa experiences can make for the perfect destination after a busy week at work. Men's skincare is booming in recent years, so why not indulge in a good facial while you're there? A few minutes in a steam or sauna room could also do you wonders. The calming surroundings can help ease anxiety and lower tension levels.
Instead of hitting up the local bar after work, consider treating yourself to a spa day. Book yourselves indulgent massages, reflexology treatments and aromatherapy sessions; it'll leave you all relaxed and rejuvenated for the week ahead. The final touch would be hitting up a rooftop bar or lounge that offers stunning views of the skyline where you could enjoy some mocktails while chatting about life.
Cooking Class
Cooking classes are often something we think about as a couples activity for a romantic date night but that notion is sorta limiting when you think about the fun you can have as a group of guys learning how to make the perfect sauce, or maybe it's a class on sausage making or even learning how bacon is made.
One of the coolest guys night activities I've ever done was hosted by Brisket U in Austin where we learned how to prepare the perfect brisket by a Texas BBQ expert and then he whipped up a feast worthy of a group of - by then especially - VERY HUNGRY kings.
Maker Classes
Once again, while the women have cornered the market on doing art classes but not to worry ... there are plenty of opportunities for men, we call them "maker" instead of "art". These include woodcraft, metalcraft, leathercraft classes where you can make something cool and artistic from belts to peppermills. You can google "maker classes" or "woodcraft classes" or "maker studio" and you'll probably be surprised what's available in your home town!
Dry January "Non Alcoholic Wine Tasting"
This is not a good idea for folks who are in recovery since "Non Alcoholic" beers and wines still maintain a small amount of alcohol, and this can be enough to cause a relapse. However, for those guys who want to try something new and enjoy a fun guys night out activity with the guys, find a bar with a good selection of de-alcoholized wines or, even better yet - a BYOB restaurant where each guy can bring a bottle of wine from Giesen or Fre to share with the guys.
Guys Night Out: Be As Unique As The Men Around You
While we've listed some of our favorite ideas, I'm sure we've missed a few that you probably have already thought of. Don't worry, this list is long but certainly isn't the only source of inspiration out there for planning your next night out with the bros. It also isn't to say that you group of guys can't do something off the wall like attending a drag show or dressing up in funky hats, glasses, and jackets and just having fun in your own unique way.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure it reflects the unique personalities and interests of the guys you want to join you on the adventure!
