Updated October 2026
The best places to meet singles in Groningen are Café De Toeter (bilingual pub quiz), Huize Maas, and VERA. Go on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday evening, when they are at their liveliest and it is easiest to start a conversation.
Groningen is one of the youngest cities in the Netherlands, full of students and people who stayed after their studies. Nights out are long and the centre is small, so you keep running into the same faces, which makes it easy to turn strangers into friends.
These ten places are real and open, checked in October 2026, with a mix of ages, budgets and days of the week, from the Vismarkt to the Noorderplantsoen.
See who nearby is free this evening and send one message. No swiping. Free, 18+.
Pub quizCentrum (Turfsingel)€All ages
A beer and whisky café that has hosted a bilingual pub quiz for more than 21 years, every Wednesday at 20:00 and Sunday at 19:00, in both Dutch and English for a few euros per person. It also has around 350 single malts, 19 taps and boats to rent for the canals.
Turfsingel 6, 9712 KP Groningen · Takes bookings
City café and stageCentrum (Vismarkt)€€All ages
A big city café and music stage on the Vismarkt with a busy agenda: live cover bands, Latin and salsa nights, quizzes, club nights and even a 30+ day party. Check the agenda and pick the night that suits you.
Vismarkt 52, 9711 KV Groningen · Takes bookings
Music venueCentrum (Oosterstraat)€20s
A club for the international pop underground, with concerts and parties on a main stage and a smaller downstage. Tickets are cheap and the crowd is chatty, especially at the bar between bands.
Oosterstraat 44, 9711 NV Groningen · Takes bookings
Music venueNoord (Boterdiep)€20s
A pop venue with concerts, club nights and comedy evenings, from local talent to touring bands. Compact enough that you keep bumping into the same faces.
Boterdiep 69, 9712 LK Groningen · Takes bookings
Neighbourhood caféNoorderplantsoen€All ages
The living room of the Noorderplantsoen since 1985, with nine beer taps, chess players and billiards. No table reservations, and the café itself says that anyone who comes alone soon ends up talking at the bar.
Grachtstraat 71, Groningen · Walk-in
Games shop and clubCentrum (Oude Ebbingestraat)€20s
A games shop that calls itself the most social games shop in Groningen, with free open play events for card games, miniature games and role-play, plus board games for sale. New players are welcome in its communities.
Oude Ebbingestraat 67, 9712 HE Groningen · Walk-in
Brown caféEllebogenbuurt€40+
An authentic brown café with classic billiards, paintings and poetry on the walls, around for about a century. A good place for a quiet beer and an easy chat at the bar.
Turftorenstraat 6, 9712 BP Groningen · Walk-in
Brewery caféCentrum (Kostersgang)€€All ages
A city brewery in an industrial building a stone's throw from the Grote Markt, with a restaurant and tasting room, brewery tours and jazz sessions on some Sunday afternoons.
Kostersgang 32-34, 9711 CX Groningen · Takes bookings
Music caféCentrum (Gedempte Zuiderdiep)€30s
A music café with live music every Sunday since it opened in 1999, from funk and soul to indie and blues, plus a pub quiz. A friendly bar where you can easily join a conversation between sets.
Gedempte Zuiderdiep 58, 9711 HK Groningen · Walk-in
Cultural centreCentrum (Nieuwe Markt)€All ages
A cultural building with a library, cinema, talks and workshops, and a Taalcafé where you can practise speaking Dutch and get to know people. The rooftop terrace 45 metres up is free to visit.
Nieuwe Markt 1, 9712 KN Groningen · Walk-in
Popular places to meet people in Groningen include Café De Toeter (bilingual pub quiz), Huize Maas (city café and stage), and VERA (music venue). All of them are easy to visit alone or with friends.
Pick an indoor spot such as Groninger Museum or Hotel Prinsenhof. Both work well for a first date in any weather.
In the YesTonite City Index, Groningen is number 106 of 112 cities for dating, with a dating score of 2.8 out of 10.
Open YesTonite and see who in Groningen is going out tonight. Say hi, agree on a time and meet at one of the places on this page.
Checked October 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so call or check the website before you go.
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