The Cookie in Leicester

One of our favourite places in Leicester that we visit several times during the February comedy festival. They do a variety of gigs, some 'pay what you want' and the venue part has an authentically gritty feel to it. Nice coffee and cakes. More imagination with proper ciders (not the kids' fruit stuff) would go down well with us.Since 2021 ownership has changed and it's now run by The Big Difference charity, which also runs the comedy festival. Slight improvement in bottled and canned beers available but I think they've stopped selling cakes. Now renamed, understandably, as The Big Difference.

Attended Billy Nomates tonight. Great night and met great people. Bar staff great as well. Look forward to a return.

An essential Leicester High Street establishment! Friendly staff, good for a coffee in the day or a drink in the evening, plus a great live venue too! Do give it a visit, post-lockdown.

Great small venue. Came here to see a band called Crows and immediately liked this place. Nice and tight place to watch a band and very reasonably priced. Surprisingly the drinks weren't as overly expensive as a lot of venues. Had a great night out here and would go see bands here again

Great experience seeing Only The Poets in on stage underneath the restaurant.

Excellent first trip to the Cookie seeing the very funny Andrew Bird. Bar staff very friendly. Nice atmosphere. Good venue.

Nice little bar, good selection of drinks. Does get crowded very easily, but proves its popular I suppose!I do wish they wouldn't turn the coffee machine off 2-3 hours before they're actually closing though, that's really annoying.

Intimate venue which makes the atmosphere intense and feels very private with a small crowd of around 150 although the venue can get extremely hot and sweaty as the gig goes on. Need to be near the front to see the band as they are on the same level as the crowd and as its underground the band can't be any higher to improve this. Bar at the back of the venue serves cold drinks throughout the set which is a good touch!

A really comfortable place to be, whether you are there during the day or at night. Daytime, a comfy, pleasant ambiance with coffees, booze, snacks/salads/burgers/pasta etc. Night-times - mix of bar/concert (indie) music/comedy gigs. Downstairs venue could not be more basic physically - oblong room, bare brick walls, but it's just the perfect size for an intimate gig (music or comedy), sits maybe 150 people. Welcoming, cool, innovative. Certainly among the best of Leicester's independent venues. Do a range of stuff and everything I've seen there has been between good and excellent. Really good people on all sides - day and nights, bar/restaurant/door. Thoroughly recommend. Cannot think of any downside.

Great food, and always a great coffee at this busy and vibrant coffee shop. It has the fit and finish of a chain but with out the nasty coffee and mass produced food. There is always a nice vibe and there is always lots going on, from sound checks in the day for bands, to ticket sales for comedy gigs etc etc there is never a boring moment. if you have never been, i highly recommend it.