SSE Arena Belfast

We had excellent seats for the Lionel Richie Concert which was excellent. With regards to the Arena itself, on arrival, the doors were not marked in line with our tickets so no-one could tell us where Door 2 was.... the door we were supposed to use for entry. We eventually found it. Also, tickets started an 18:30 start when actually the warm up act didn't start until 20:00.

Well what can be said, it's the SSE, arena, and not only the home of the giants, but a fantastic place for a venue. Lionel Richie, and what a fantastic concert, sounds fantastic, brilliant performer and artist. From the songs to the lighting effect, all was a really memorable experience.

Queuing was handled very well and the venue was up to standard for the visit. Staff were very friendly and accommodating. Was a great time at the Twenty One Pilots concert!

Came here to watch the ice hockey as a travelling fan. The stadium is really spacious, the seats aren't squashed together but what was odd was the home and away fans were all sat mixed together which was unexpected. Would've enjoyed it more if we were sat just with the away fans but the atmosphere was friendly. The food and drink is reasonably priced and lots of options. We also had a drink in the bar at the bottom before the game and the service was quick plus they had the footy on the TV. Lots of entertainment during the hockey and in the breaks, enjoyable game even though my team lost!

Visited tonight for the WWE. Great venue with plenty of bars and good food options. This was my view from the North Upper Tier, Row X. The only downside was that they only had one door open for the whole event and everyone was literally queuing for miles around Belfast. The queue moved fairly quick but it was a pain for the people who got dropped off at the arena, only to find the queue was miles away.

went to Disney on Ice and loved it. My daughter had a fantastic time. Seats were good, sounds was great, perfect temperature inside the arena. Be prepared to queue going out. Need to come up with a better system than waiting an hour to get out of the car park every time.

Excellent VIP experience with Sky customers! Was in air conditioned lovely bar /snacks. Own toilets no queues. Very clean and pleasant staff. This was in a separate room from the general admission.. Very nice parking attendant which explained how to pay on the machines and advised the right amount so not overpaying for parking. So a big tick for SSE parking attendants. Thank you. When leaving the SSE it’s a free for all!! People are very rude and would risk damaging their own car and others just to get out of car park. Could do with attention to making people wait. Aggressive behaviour from drivers forcing and shouting from car. Very alarming!

Booked Paul Heaton the day before the concert. Seat was brilliant, North Tier, perfect view!! The Lightening Seeds were fantastic 😍 Lots of staff about if you needed help. £7.00 for a pint of cider, didn't mind this & had about 4 + a cheeky pink gin & tonic think it was about £8.00😁 Great nite, great venue🎸🥁🍺

Great venue, saw Mrs Brown Boys Live here and the costumer service was AMAZING! Decent sized venue and cheap drinks!

It really is in a people and disabled unfriendly location. We always opt to walk here now as we refuse to park in the adjacent car parks as once a concert is over it can take ages to escape. So we park in the city centre and take a 15 minute walk to get here. Once inside the main door and through the bag search we were processed quickly and the staff are always courteous and helpful. Our seats were upstairs and we were quite far back from the stage with a great view. As with most concert venues in this city the seats are barely comfortable, the space between the seats is almost non existent, so you are forced to be very near to total strangers and I'd rather not thanks very much. The food and drink pricing is more akin to airport charging. I noted that the price for a small Coca cola, from a drink dispenser into a paper cup, was £3.10 for an ungenerous portion, or put shortly daylight robbery. If it's comfort and relaxation you want to enjoy a concert I can assure you you're in the wrong place so it's as well Andrea Bocelli and friends were in top form.

Went to the little mix concert with my daughter. Everything ran smoothly and on time and the concert was fantastic. Bought one beer and a bottle of water and it was approx £5.50 which was what I expected. Little bit manic on the way out but went to the fona cab taxi pick up point and waited aprox 15 mins then our taxi arrived so happy with that :)

having never seen an ice hockey game i was pretty impressed with my first experience of the game in Belfast. The action of the game was very fast paced to the point where any time I'd turn away for even a few seconds i'd miss someone scoring or some sort of action. I really enjoyed it. The arena was pretty good with a good number of food stands dotted around the place and good spacious seating.

I thought when the Odyssey Arena changed to the SSE arena that it would have got a whole new face lift. I was disappointed to find out that it is exactly the same arena with a different name. The arena has so much potential to be so much better!

I noticed tonight for the first time that the odyssey really had gone downhill. The arena is great for concerts etc but put that to one side and you are not left with much else. I think it has so much potential- I remember when the place was buzzing every weekend with people queuing to get into Bambu and coyote. There also used to be a lot more restaurants, now you can take your pick from soda joes Pizza Hut or a dodgy Chinese. I would love to see someone take this place over, bring back some decent restaurants and a good club, I also think it would be the ideal location for N Ireland's first casino!

I am a fan of the Odyssey Arena, it brings global sporting events and world superstars to our city and for that alone it has to be praised. Recently I seem to have been in the Odyssey sporting arena a lot and each time I have been I have had a pleasant experience. As with any mass coming together of people there are going to be small things that happen that you are just going to have to accept, like queues at the bars or box office issues but this is just part and parcel of hosting a large scale event. The great things about the Odyssey are as follows: It is easy to get to - You can get a taxi for under £10 from Belfast City Centre although weather permitting you can walk from the City's Cathedral Quarter. If you're driving there are a choice of 3 car parks in close proximity to the arena. The Car park opposite is charged at £3 for 3 hours which is extremely reasonable. Beware of parking in here for concerts as it is a nightmare getting out. Titanic Quarter train station on the Belfast to Bangor train line is around a 10 minute walk from the arena also. The range of Sporting events on offer - In the last month the Odyssey Arena has staged Premier League Darts, World Championship Boxing and of Course is home to the Belfast Giant Ice Hockey team. The Belfast Giants in particular has a real family atmosphere. The Odyssey Arena also has a nightclub, a few restaurants, a bowling alley, a cinema and a dedicated sports bar on site! What more could you ask for?

What a horrible place to see a concert. Paid £160 for a VIP 2nd row ticket to see a-ha. We made our way to the seats via the stickiest nasty floor I've seen in a public venue in years. I expect the floor to be sticky or dirty afterwards on occasion, but not before. A-ha was phenomenal as always. However, security continually forced the floor crowd to be seated during the show as a few people complained that couldn't see when others were standing. Really? People buy floor seats expecting everyone to sit so they can see? Buy a seat in the sides next time!! Let alone venue security attempts to force a crowd to be seated during an enthusiastic concert to appease a few. Totally killed the vibe of the entire show for the crowd and the band. Finally, the crowd defied requests to be seated for the final 4 songs. What a disappointment of a night. Finally on the way out, there are literally 20 exit doors, and security continually tried to force the huge crowd to all exit through the middle 4 doors. Are you kidding me? Have you never had training on exit procedures for a mass of people and their safety to allow a quick exit? In addition, they filter the crowd down a sidewalk littered with phones for taxis right in the middle blocking the way more. What a horrible experience overall when the show experience could have been great. As a side note, we saw the a-ha show the night before at the 3Arena in Dublin. What a fantastic experience start to finish with that facility and security. They definitely know how to facilitate large events. I'm so glad we saw the Dublin show on our trip as well. What a total letdown it would have been if SSE Belfast was our only experience after paying a small fortune and traveling all the way from the USA.

Previously called the odyssey the SSE Arena hasn't really changed under the new ownership. However it's where all the big names play Belfast and where the Belfast Giants have their home games. It is always well organised and staff are great considering they are usually ushering large numbers of drunken excitable people in and out of the place. The new app to order drinks in advance and save queuing is a god send and I would highly recommend you use it as you can even place your order before you leave the house. Always keep an eye out for which event is playing next.

Love this place always a great atmosphere went and seen misses browns boys twice last month loved the show Cant wait til i get back to watch something else Lovely staff very friendly

Real lucky to be watching the Uni of Massachusetts play St LOUIS Uni in the Friendship games ice hockey. Great suite, hospitality, food, drink and game!!!!

Good venue but the price of things in the arena from drinks to merchandise is absolutely ridiculous have been at two events recently and both times it was ridiculous pricing. Also the staff where we were sat where as useful as a chocolate teapot had to look and find our own seats while the Stewart stood on his phone swigging off the bars. Not all staff are like this to be fair but really left a bad impression.

Such a shame the name changed, odyssey is a far better name. Fantastic venue with massive potential for future concerts , shows and events. More variety at the bars on the way into the arena would be an improvement and more publicity around upcoming events too. Loads of other places in the complex and plenty of parking. Only been here for a hockey game and when Michael buble had a concert in Belfast. Sse give us more variety of sports,events and performances.

Lets see...how many words can I use to describe the Odyssey Arena after my last visit over the weekend. Dirty Filthy Unclean Bogging Stinking Wouldn't keep pigs in it Revolting I have been in cleaner toilets.... In Russia All in all NOT a pleasant experience, we paid dear for the VIP suite to see HP7 but it was like going out for a 5 star meal and eating it in a greasy spoon cafe circa 1955. Standards have plummeted here and this place is not all that old, tiles filthy, in fact I thought I saw spuds sprouting from between the grout lines, badly in need of a face lift, steam clean and new management by the looks of things, I would not be rushing back at all. It looks as though a few places have closed up and I am hardly shocked, people don't pay good money to be entertained in shite. You can go out and stand in a field for free.

The Odyseey Pavillion marketed itself as the number one place for entertainment in Northern Ireland, and in some respects that is still true. The concert arena is great; with good sound and consistently draws in huge international acts ranging for the pop of Girls Aloud to the rock of Metallica. The arena also hosts comedy events and exhibitions, in addition to the sporting events like WWE and Basketball games. The resident hockey team, the Belfast Giants, is also a great night out, and provides some depth to the sporting options in Belfast! However the main complex has been on a downhill trend for the last year. To have Soda Joe's, Oddysey Bowl and Bar 7 shut their doors ( temporarily or not) is a real blow to the centre and makes it feel run down, despite it being a relatively new complex. The Pavillion does still have the Box as its most successful club, with the Beach Club trailing behind in the popularity stakes. The cinema is great here and W5 is fantastic for a day out for the family. The centre badly needs the odyssey bowl to reopen as it had all the pool tables and inside with the games which was a really good draw for the younger kids!

While this was seen as a major step forward for Northern Ireland tourism and entertainment options, I think it is a major step backwards for culture and anyone who enjoys a nice night out with no trouble and nice atmosphere. The place is a horrible mix of families out for dinner at one of the many faceless restaurants to young drunk people falling about and being agressive. The restaurants are all chains and seem to be cookie cutter versions of places elsewhere with no sense of Belfast or any sort of tradition. The clubs here are the same. They seem to only be interested in churning out rubbish music to people who just want to get drunk and start trouble. The bowling alley is terrible with disinterested staff and antiquated equipment. The gigs and shows put on at the Odyssey are only chart topping acts and there is nothing ever on for people who have more than a passing interest in music. Think Rod Stewart and Coldplay. There is no culture or sense of pride in being in Belfast, if it wasn't for the VIP option at the cinema this place wouldn't be worth going to.

I think it is about to celebrate ten years in business. I remember the band 'Five' were the first to play a concert here. Some of you reading this are saying 'who'!!!! But ten years on and its still going... the arena is mainly used as the home rink for the Belfast Giants. Local support for the teams has dwindled somewhat over the last five years and only the faithful few are left. I used to work in one of the catering facilities around the arena and that was back when the Giants were really popular and it was always bunged to the max and had a really fun atmosphere. These days I think most of its business comes from concerts and shows.

I have been to quite few concerts (or gigs - is that what they're called these days?) in the Odyssey Arena and these guys have got the management of big events down to a fine art. From the moment you go in, there are enough efficient staff on duty to make sure that queues move quickly and that no-one gets frustrated even though there are thousands of people around. Going through the doors is a breeze, you are directed towards the right door into the arena, depending on where you're sitting or standing. I know they are at the mercy of the artist, but every show has started more or less on time. When going to a big arena or stadium, I have a morbid fear of the toilet facilities. I think it stems from going to an outdoor festival in my youth where there were about 50 portaloos for 60 000 people. Oh dear God it still makes me heave to think about it. Thankfully there's no problem at the Odyssey. I've never even seen a queue. Eve if you are seated, you will still have room to bust a few moves at your seat (as I did at the Kylie show. Yes, really. She was great actually. So was I). Obviously if you're a bit of a mover, go for the standing area at the front if you can. I have also had the pleasure of watching the Pink gig from a corporate box. Oh momma, that's the way to see a show. Your own bar, private seats, great view. Absolutely fab but it makes you never want to go back to the ordinary seats again. For most events you can get tickets for the VIP boxes. It will add a large whack onto the cost of your night out, but for a special event it is unbeatable.

Having seen what some fellow reviewers have said about the Odyssey, I have to say both of those 'worlds' do exist down there....there is the existence of these strange gangs of teenagers, bereft of any real place to go to, that seem to just hang around inside the main building, probably just trying to stay out of the rain...although I've seen many attempting to get into the nightclubs inside. It does give the place a bit of a 'seedy' vibe. I'm not even thirty and looking at all the skin-tight neon lycra makes me feel decidedly old... Moving on, with regard to the arena itself, I've never been to a bad concert there...it's a great venue for the big names and thier live shows have always had the place pumping with energy and excitement. I've seen Eric Clapton, Kylie, Take That and Lady Gaga (please don't comment on my music taste!) and each gig has been fantastic. Now, I know a lot of that has to do with the technical team that actually travel around with the show, but if you don't have a good venue, the show wouldn't work. So music/entertainment-wise, it's always good. And the staff are plentiful, and always keep you right when finding where you're supposed to be. The big downer is the EXTORTIONATE price you have to pay for a bottle of water. It was at least £2.50 and I'm not kidding. I was appalled. They also don't offer much other alcoholic choice than Smirnoff Ice and beer - not a great range to be honest. I thought it was really bad how much they charged for a drink. Also, people smoke in the toilets and it's not really policed very well - not a big personal issue for me, but a definite fire hazard! All in all, if you're going to see someone you really love here, then you'll have a great night - I also recommend getting seated tickets as the view is never compromised and you don't spend all night jostling for your place in the crowd!

I have been to the Odyssey more times than I'm willing to admit (and at £10 a taxi there and back, I don't want to add it up) but it is arguably the best venue for concerts in Belfast. It has been built with the 'world class performers' in mind, somewhere that they can come and put onto the back of their overpriced t-shirts. Before, football pitches, shopping centres, alleyways etc housed any performer that plucked up the courage to come to Belfast. Now, thanks to the Odyssey, Belfast is a great place to play... Even Take That give the world premier of their Beautiful World tour in Belfast (which I seen and wow!) There are a bunch of shops, cinema and clubs and chances are you may see some people who look a bit shady but if you go into town you will see the same. It is well out of the way which is an advantage/disadvantage (delete as appropriate) but as far as a venue for concerts go, its the best in Belfast bar none.

The Odyssey was designed to be a venue that covered everything from family days out to late night entertainment. While it was a novel idea, the attraction of the venue is somewhat limited. You can take the kids bowling, intrigue them with the W5 science outlet, or treat them to the latest Disney film at the cinema, but once you've done that (and you could do it all in a day), there's not much that would have the kids screaming to go back every weekend, unless they were particular fans of ice-hockey. I don't think anyone would dispute the fact that, were it not for the alcohol licenses on the premises, the arena would've become a car-park a long time ago. There are a few bars which don't see a lot of action during the day, but which get a large enough crowd at the weekends, especially the Beach Club. There are a few restaurants there as well, from your standard Pizza Hut to Spanish and Chinese, but for me its appeal is limited. Throw in the fact that it's not that convenient to get to (or from), and I'm more inclined to head to the city-centre for my night's entertainment. That being said, the ice-hockey is entertaining, and the Arena is renowned for its live entertainment. It hosts an array of live concerts and exhibitions, including world class performers, sporting events, Disney on Ice, etc., all of which come with a price tag that's a bit much for me. Getting home after a night out is no picnic either, and the area gets very congested for traffic. For me, it's a place to visit on occasion when a performer or event that I'm a particular fan of is in town. For visitors who just want to check it out for themselves, there's a bus that leaves from the city hall. Your best bet, however, is to have a look around it if you're getting on one of the tour buses in Belfast, as you can get dropped off and picked up outside it, saving you any other travel costs.

Despite seeing Guns N'Roses rock the Odyssey out last month, the night before their ill-fated gig in Dublin when Axl got bottled off the stage, this is one of my least favourite venues in Belfast. I've been dragged bowling or to the cinema here on numerous occasions - again on painful work nights out (why do I agree to go out with workmates?), and, while the plush cinema and modern bowling alley can't be faulted in themselves, the fact that they're part of the complex itself just puts me off. It's too shiny, too clean, too new, and too full of millies and spides in training to have any sort of atmosphere. The bars are like the M Club without the violence but with the pretention, the restaurants are too bright and it always takes forever to get a taxi home. I was also really miffed at the recent concert when we got swiped in with our tickets and then weren't allowed out again for a smoke until the concert was over, even though it was at least two hours from swipe-in until the band was on. People did light up in the middle of the crowd though once the bands started. How naughty. You'll probably end up in the Odyssey at some point for a gig, or because you're not assertive enough with your workmates, but it definitely isn't my choice for a night out.

Ot a great place to go if you are over 25, or don't like chavvy, half naked drunk teenagers fighting at the end of the night. Only decent place in here is the comedy club. Nowhere open for food at kicking out time and nightmare trying to get a taxi at the weekend. Avoid like the plague!!!

The odyssey arena is one of the most versatile venues in Belfast, being able to host a variety of different shows, from horse shows to rock gigs, ice hockey matches to Christian groups, they've got it all covered. The odyssey also includes the IMAX Cinema which offers many different screenings of films, and also boasts its V.I.P section where for £10, you can enjoy free refills of drinks and popcorn, and watch your movie whilst lying in a big comfy lazyboy chair. Heaven! Inside the Odyssey you can eat at a variety of places including the Red Panda Chinese Restaurant, Pizza Hut, The Streat, Indian Ocean.. the list goes on! However when there is a gig on in the Odyssey Arena in the Evening it may be wise to book a table in the place that you'd like to eat, as it is usually very very busy before and after the concert! There are also many bars and nightclubs in the Odyssey, two of which are very popular Bambu Beach Club and The BOX. Both of these are open almost every night of the week. The Odyssey also has W5, a science orientated adventure place where children can explore different aspects of science and why they occur. This place is a great place to go if you are a family with kids. The Odyssey has something for everyone!

This place is fantastic and just what Belfast needed. It has things for all of the family children and adults will both love it. The cinema here is great and worth a trip to the vip screens for a special treat. W5 is a great way to entertain the kids for the day although a little expensive its well worth the money. There are several places to eat although if your out with kids then its def worth going to pizza hut as they are best value for money here. The nightclkubs are also great with Bambu beach club being great for a real cheesy night out where you dance the night away. The concerts here are also great and ive been to many and am yet to have a bad seat!

The place for the big gigs in Belfast. High up at the sides gets you the best view. Gigs can be pricey and parking will take you several hours to get out, but it is a good venue for its type. Arrive early and park far away walking the rest. Food and drink reasonably priced but remember to book the restaurants on a gig night.

I can't imagine what we did without the Odyssey and when you think of the number of big stars from the music world that have come to our wee city it is truly amazing. Even more so the fact that I had the pleasure this week of being at the Odyssey for the Neil Diamond concert. I don't think that I have come down to earth yet. It's so good to have someone as well known and as big a legend perform in our city. It goes without saying that the concert itself was out of this world and although the tickets were pricey it was worth every penny. The venue was well organised and seating was comfortable with plenty of leg space to all low for people to get in and put.The ushers were pleasant and very organised . On the down side there was only one bar open which caused long delays in obtaining those much needed refreshments. Although there was a lot happening in and around the Odyssey there appeared to be a well organised exit from the car park as it only took about ten minutes to get from the pay point to getting out onto the road. All in all it was a splendid evening which will not be forgotten in a hurry and I look forward to another visit to the Odyssey in the near future

I have to say that, apart from concerts, a night out in the Odyssey isn't much to scream about. The Box and The Beach Club night clubs are currently the 'places to be' for Yelpers looking to be seen but even with the added restaurants and amusements, I find the Odyssey all and all a rather dull night out. It is definitely a place you go to 'to be seen', but not to actually enjoy yourself for the night with mates. A dull 2 stars.

This is a great place to go, as there is always something to do. There is a great choice of restaurants and bars, plus the cinema. The on site parking is really handy although traffic can be a nightmare if there's a concert or event on.

Went to the Odyssey to see Cirque du Solel and it was an amazing night. There is lots of parking at the venue, but we were staying overnight, so walked to the Arena. It was a 10 min walk from the Hilton Hotel to the Arena. So a great location even if you are not driving. There are loads of restaurants, we ate at Pizza Hut before the show.

the arena is a pretty aweful place to go at night, it gets full of all belfast's 'wish i was 18' year olds trying to get into the bars and clubs, but during the day its another story, pleasant, a few nice resuturants (soda joes for example) and of course the cinema, belfast giants and w5 all lend a hand to making it family oriented before dark and of course as i know some only want this, there are indeed some of the most popular clubs in belfast here (beach club par example) but i wouldnt normally reccommend, as the clientelle tend to be a little, mature for their age, which is usually saying something (ie they tend to be 15 years old and hoping thier sqeaky voices don't give them away)

this place is great for the cinema and food places but most of the time its empty apart from when there is a concert on or a new film release ..

this has so much to do in here from all the usual events from christian events to rock groups not to mention various conferences and the belfast giants which my son says are so good he is going to watch them play again in december with a local club he belongs to as their xmas trip. there is plenty of places to eat inside and a bowling alley also w5 which suits all generations easy got to and got out of with links to all the motorways ect.

I will start off by saying that at night time you have to be careful at the Odyssey. I have been there at night before when groups of drunken youths or those young enough to have been refused entry have started fighting and throwing bottles. Saying that, it is usually ok. During the day is completely different and you can bring the whole family. The cinema is very expensive but for comfort and style it cannot be beat. There is also a 3D cinema in here which you simply have to visit. Watching the films come to life in front of you is simply fantastic. I have only ever eaten in one restaurant in here and that is Red Panda. The food and service here is fantastic. We keep booking this place again and again, it is probably my favourite chinese restaurant. The Odyssey is also home to a huge arena where many conecerts are held and of course the popular Belfast Giants Ice Hockey team play. Even if Ice Hockey is not your thing you will probably have a good time at a game. The crowd get really excited and the mexican waves are so funny.