Introduction:
London is known for its vibrant nightlife, and its bar scene is no exception. Whether you’re looking for a casual night out with friends, a romantic date spot, or a lively party atmosphere, the city has a bar for every mood and occasion. From trendy rooftop bars with stunning views of the city to historic pubs with a cozy atmosphere, London’s bars offer a unique experience for locals and tourists alike. In this article, we’ll explore the best bars in London that are worth a visit.
From the trendy, modern bars of Soho to the rustic pubs of Camden, there’s something for everyone in London’s bustling bar scene. From laid-back gastro pubs to chic cocktail bars, you can find a spot to suit your taste and style. No matter what kind of atmosphere you are looking for, London has a bar to suit your needs. Whether you’re looking for an evening of casual conversation with friends or a night out on the town, there’s something to please everyone in London.
1. Callooh Callay
O frabjous day! Named after a line from Lewis Carroll’s ‘Jabberwocky’, Callooh Callay has drinks that will make you chortle with joy. The intriguingly titled Gorilla Panic catches the eye, whilst the Saint Hellier looks strong enough to take down a frumious Bandersnatch.
Address: 65 Rivington St, London EC2A 3QQ, United Kingdom
Menu: calloohcallaybar.com
Phone: +44 20 7739 4781
Rating: 4.5
“Friendly and sympathic service, nice atmosphere and tasty drinks.”
2. The Last Tuesday Society
Hidden within Viktor Wynd’s Museum of Curiosities, this cocktail bar has a magical menu of weird and wonderful drinks, each inspired by a strange artifact that can be found inside the fascinating museum. The Last Tuesday Society is very big on absinthe, and you’ll find a relatively large menu of different varieties, all served the original way with a brown sugar cube, an absinthe spoon and an ice fountain.
Address: 11 Mare St, London E8 4RP, United Kingdom
Menu: absintheparlour.com
Phone: +44 20 8533 5297
Rating: 4.7
“Excellent place, good service and a cool atmosphere.”
3. Looking Glass Cocktail Club
Another bar that loves a bit of Absinthe, Looking Glass Cocktail Club is Alice in Wonderland-themed and bills itself as a “haven of debauchery”. To enter, you’ll have to step through a looking glass (i.e. a big mirror) and you’re likely to be there until the early hours, cocktail in tow.
Address: 49 Hackney Rd, London E2 7NX, United Kingdom
Menu: lookingglasslondon.co.uk
Phone: +44 20 7613 3936
Reservations: lookingglasslondon.co.uk
Rating: 4.2
“Hi was here Saturday night for the drag bingo great atmosphere great music .”
4. Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town
Make your way to The Breakfast Club on Artillery Lane and inform a member of staff that you are “here to see the Mayor”. They will then direct you to the normal-seeming Smeg fridge, which you’ll have to walk through to enter the dingy, candlelit speakeasy. The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town is filled with vintage furniture and bizarre wall art, while the cocktail menu is brimming with weird and wonderful drinks.
Address: 12-16 Artillery Ln, London E1 7LS, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7078 9639
Rating: 4.5
“Small speakeasy in the basement of the restaurant The Breakfast Club.
5. TT Liquor
Nobody wants to end up in jail, but what if we told you you could come and go as you please and drink as much booze as you like? TT Liquor on Kingsland Road is an old Victorian police station, converted into a three-storey haven dedicated entirely to high-quality liquor and damn good cocktails. If you were just walking past, you’d probably mistake it for a humble old liquor store (and we wouldn’t blame you) but, lo and behold, if you had just popped in and made your way downstairs.
Address: 17B Kingsland Rd, London E2 8AA, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7183 9503
Rating: 4.9
“Great experience, fun teachers (leo and noel), tasty cocktails”
6. Eve Bar Covent Garden
Hidden beneath Covent Garden is London’s very own Garden of Eden. This bar is full of temptation, indulgence and hedonism. With a huge list of inventive and beautifully presented cocktails, as well as some seriously stunning interiors, Eve is pretty close to being Heaven on Earth.
Address: 34 Southampton St, London WC2E 7HF, United Kingdom
Menu: evebar.co.uk
Phone: +44 20 7199 8373
Reservations: evebar.co.uk
Rating: 4.2
“Great Location, Perfect Service, Good Drinks, Even the bouncer was awesome!”
7. Opium
Is there any better combo than dim sum and cocktails? Head to Opium; the oriental themed cocktail bar and Dim Sum parlor in the heart of Chinatown. Made up of three bars spread across two floors, Opium is inspired by 1920s Shanghai with a twist of modern indulgence.
Address: 15-16 Gerrard St, London W1D 6JE, United Kingdom
Menu: opiumchinatown.com
Phone: +44 20 7734 7276
Reservations: opiumchinatown.com
Rating: 4.2
“A bit overpriced place but good cocktail menu and delicious dim sum.”
8. Blame Gloria
Introducing the all-new, all-vintage nightspot in Covent Garden: Blame Gloria. Inspired by ‘an opulent nana with a groupie past’, the Bedford Street basement cocktail bar aims to offer an eclectic, loose and outrageous vibe. Expect fabrics inspired by Jimi Hendrix outfits and Peter Blake, boho, and Bowie influences; all generating more groovy ‘gram opportunities than you can shake a stiletto at.
Address: 20 Bedford St, London WC2E 9HP, United Kingdom
Menu: blamegloria.co.uk
Phone: +44 20 8191 7665
Reservations: blamegloria.co.uk
Rating: 4.4
“Music is quite loud for a weeknight but service, drinks, and decor were fab”
9. Oriole
Not only does this bar boast stunning interiors, but its cocktail menu is also a glorious work of art. Arguably made for Instagram, Oriole is inspired by all things tropical. The walls are adorned with palm trees, and the drinks are made with obscure and exotic ingredients that you may not have heard of, let alone be able to pronounce.
Address: Smithfield Markets, E Poultry Ave, London EC1A 9LH, United Kingdom
Menu: oriolebar.com
Phone: +44 20 3457 8099
Rating: 4.5
“Love love love this place, great quality meat at great prices!”
10. Basement Sate
Choosing between cocktails and desserts is a thing of the past at Basement Sate, where you can pair your drinks with a decadent dessert. It’s a place where a banoffee pie might come with a bourbon and honey concoction, and diets don’t exist. Intrigued?
Address: 8 Broadwick St, London W1F 8HN, United Kingdom
Menu: basementsate.com
Phone: +44 20 7287 3412
Rating: 4.3
“Tasty cocktails, lovely staff and fabulous cosy atmosphere.”
11. The Escapologist
Once the headquarters of a Victorian Secret Society, The Escapologist still parties like it’s 1899. Get some friends together for pizza, drinks and some serious skullduggery behaviour.
Address: 35 Earlham St, Seven Dials, London WC2H 9LD, United Kingdoms
Menu: escapologistbar.co.uk
Phone: +44 20 7240 5142
Rating: 4.3
“Cracking place, fantastic staff, such a good vibe and atmosphere!”
12. CellarDoor
This intimate hidden bar is located beneath Aldwych in an underground space that used to be a public toilet, and you can expect live entertainment in the form of cabaret, blues and burlesque shows. CellarDoor even transforms into a secret cinema every Sunday afternoon, featuring a cult movie and a classic silent comedy with a beautiful live pianist.
Address: Zero Aldwych, Wellington St, London WC2E 7DN, United Kingdom
Menu: cellardoorconfidential.biz
Phone: +44 20 7240 8848
Rating: 4.4
“Great selection of cocktails, reasonably priced with good service.”
13. Bar Elba
Bar Elba is London’s answer to a blissful party island. Embark on a colourful ascension into paradise, admire the arty witticism along the way, and grab yourself a cocktail.
Address: 111 Waterloo Rd, London SE1 8SG, United Kingdom
Menu: bar-elba.co.uk
Phone: +44 20 3892 8166
Rating: 4.5
“Yummy cocktails and food, super friendly service, nice crowd and good tunes.”
14. Call Me Mr Lucky
Much like The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town, this bar is also hidden beneath a Breakfast Club. Only this time you should announce to a waitperson that you’re “here to get lucky” and all embarrassment should be left at the door. You’ll walk downstairs, through a bustling underground kitchen, and into this secret speakeasy, ready to get up to some serious mischief. Take a date and sit amongst kitschy interiors with a crazy cocktail. And then stay for another.
Address: 11 Southwark St, London SE1 1RQ, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7078 9634
Rating: 4.2
“Cocktails are small but tasty & good finger food, recommend the poutine.”
15. Vaulty Towers
This wacky boozer is owned by the people behind The Vaults, Waterloo’s incredible hidden arts venue. Adorned with props from previous ventures, this drinkery is about as mad as they come. Think treehouse tables and comically high bar stools, as well as espresso martinis and negronis on tap. You could visit Vaulty Towers a thousand times and still find something new each time you’re there.
Address: 34 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RG, United Kingdom
Menu: vaultytowers.london
Phone: +44 20 7928 9042
Rating: 4.5
“Quirky bar, friendly staff, good selection of drinks, cocktails!”
16. Little Nan’s
Tucked away in the arches of Deptford Market Yard, Little Nan’s is a super kitsch bar filled with one lad’s grandma’s furniture, ornaments and treasured heirlooms. Known best for its off-the-wall cocktails served in various zany vessels – including teapots and vases – Little Nan’s is a firm favorite in south-east London.
Address: London SE8 3NU, United Kingdom
Menu: littlenans.co.uk
Phone: +44 7792 205375
Rating: 4.1
“Funky decor + music, friendly staff & yummy cocktails.”
17. Near & Far
This Peckham bar boasts wacky interiors, quirky drinks and some lovely panoramic views of London and, as a classic example of that “gentrification” everyone keeps talking about, it used to be an old Peckham car park.
Address: 48 Chalk Farm Rd, Chalk Farm, London NW1 8AJ, United Kingdom
Menu: static1.squarespace.com
Phone: +44 20 3983 7250
Rating: 4.3
“Great service with the staff continually topping up our drinks.”
18. Four Thieves
If you’re done with darts and find pool a pain, The Four Thieves pub in Battersea is surely home to your new favorite pub sport. This much-loved boozer is home to a thrilling games room, and taking pride of place is its own multiplayer racetrack.
Reminiscent of the old Scalextric, the Moonshine Raceway allows punters to race against each other with a beer in hand. Under the same roof, you’ll find a bunch of classic arcade games, a glow-in-the-dark Plonk crazy golf course, and an in-pub escape room experience they call Lady Chastity’s Reserve.
Address: 51 Lavender Gardens, London SW11 1DJ, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7223 6927
Reservations: fourthieves.pub
Rating: 4.0
“Good selection of food and drinks and super friendly staff.”
19. Trailer Happiness
Rum lovers should head to Ladbroke Grove, because this tiki-style bar has a lot of it. Filled with ‘cosmopolitan kitsch’ vibes, Trailer Happiness will amaze you with its cocktail menu and guarantee you a good time.
Address: 177 Portobello Rd, London W11 2DY, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7041 9833
Rating: 4.3
“Nice cocktails, friendly staff, tasty snacks and nice trendy decor and vibe.”
20. Bobby Fitzpatrick
Get ready to feel nostalgic as you step into your nan’s living room, or rather this 70s-inspired cocktail and pizza haunt. The decor of this place is so spot on that it’ll have you second guessing what year you’re in. Go for the banana cream pie and stay for the rum cocktails and deep-fried pickles.
Address: 273 W End Ln, London NW6 1QS, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7433 1989
Reservations: bobbyf.co.uk
Rating: 4.6
“Bar staff were very friendly and service was absolutely wonderful.”
Conclusion:
So, here are some of the most popular and trendy best bars in London to spend a night out. Whether it be the ambience or the delicious, refreshing cocktails, these are the best places to spend a memorable night out.
FAQs:
What is a speakeasy?
A speakeasy is a type of bar that operated illegally during the prohibition era in the United States. They were called speakeasies because patrons had to speak quietly to avoid detection by the police.
Are these bars expensive?
It depends on the bar, but many of these unique best bars in London are on the pricier side. However, the experience of visiting them is often worth the extra cost.
Do I need to make a reservation?
Again, it depends on the bar. Some of the more popular and exclusive bars may require a reservation, while others operate on a first-come, first-served basis. It’s always a good idea to check ahead to avoid disappointment.
