London's Pubs, Bars & Clubs
Going to the pub for a drink, is always an option for Londoner's when looking for something to do!
London is home to more than 6000 pubs and bars.....so there is a place to drink for all occasions. Below are just a few suggestions...
Which pubs and bars are a must do experience!!!
These pubs have a historic and nostalgic charm about them. We have included nearest tube station to help with orientation and travel planning.
Gordon's Wine Bar (Embankment, London's oldest wine bar established in 1890! Inside you feel like you are in a cave), Prospect of Whitby (Wapping, Historic pub famous as being a drinking spot for smugglers and pirates) Lamb and Flag (Covent Garden, has been around since 1772 and had a nickname the "buckets of blood" good for a pint walking between leicester Square and Covent Garden) Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese (Blackfriars, Rebuilt around 1667 and feels like it has not changed much since with an old dark interior and different little rooms to drink in. Closed on Sundays) Ye Olde Mitre (Chancery Lane/Farringdon, Historic and Charismatic with many a story to tell. Closed Sat/Sun) Jerusalem Tavern (Farringdon, Another charming old pub you will fall in love with, closed Sat/Sun), Ten Bells (Liverpool Street, opposite Spitafields market, the place where Jack Ripper stalked his prey! Upstairs is a romantic place to take a date) The Mayflower (Rotherhithe/Canada Water, Historic pub and point from where the famous Mayflower ship set sail to America in 1620) Spaniards Inn (Golders Green, famous and historic pub on border of Hampstead Heath) The Dove (Hammersmith, A touch out of the way on the River Thames. Pokey old pub designed more for Hobbits)
Where should I go for a romantic and intimate evening?
The bars in these section should be added to some of the ones we have included in our "cool, quirky and interesting bars" and "drink with a view" section's below.
Central London: Nine Lives (London Bridge, cocktail bar) Zetter Townhouse (Farringdon) Basement Sate (Soho)
West London: Troubador (Earls Court, Intimate and charismatic Music bar) Trailer Happiness (Notting Hill, cocktail bar) Kensington Wine Rooms (Notting Hill, wine bar) Albertine (Shepherds Bush, wine bar) Hemingways (Wimbledon Village, wine bar)
East London: Cocktail Trading Company (Bethnal Green, cocktail bar) Callooh Callay (Old Street, cocktail bar)
South London: Powder Keg Diplomacy (Wandsworth) Humble Grape (Battersea, wine bar) Venn Street Records (Clapham Common) Lost and Found (Balham)
North London: 69 Colebrooke Row (Angel, known as "The Bar with No Name" Cocktail bar) Vinoteca (Kings Cross, modern wine bar) Yield N16 (Stoke Newington, wine and cheese) Camino (Kings Cross, tapas) Old Queens Head (Islington, great pub with lots going on) Ruby's Bar and Lounge (Stoke Newington, cocktail/lounge bar)
Where can I enjoy a drink with a view?
We have two sections here these, being Traditional pubs and bars and more high end bars that may have a dress code and/or be more expensive.
Traditional Pubs/Bars: Tattersall Castle (Embankment, Boat on the Thames with london Eye in the backdrop) Pitcher and Piano (Richmond, overlooking a beautiful part of the Thames in Richmond) Punch and Judy (Covent Garden, drink on the balcony where you can watch the street artists perform in the piazza) Founders Arms (Blackfriars, Excellent view on the Thames from the Southbank) The Gun (Canary Wharf, overlooking the Thames and the O2) Netil 360 (Hackney, Hip East London bar that always has something going on)
High end Bars: Coq d Argent (Bank, stunning roof top bar overlooking the city) Madison (St Pauls, terrace overlooking the famous church) Sky Garden (Monument, Jaw dropping views from 30 floors up across London) Oblix Bar (London Bridge, based at the Shard) The Rooftop (Overlooks Trafalgar Square) Aqua Kyoto (Oxford Circus, Roof top bar on Regent Street) Galvin at Windows (Hyde Park Corner, cocktail bar with spectacular views over London)
Cool, quirky and interesting bars in London
For different reasons we recommend the following bars, click on links to be inspired.
Central London: Playboy Club (Mayfair, bar with staff dressed as playboy bunnies) Ice Bar (Mayfair, cocktail bar in Ice interior) The Escapologist (Covent Garden) Flight Club (Shoreditch)
West London: Kensington Roof Top Gardens (High Street kensington, beautiful garden escape in the heart of London..check website for when open) Evans and Peel Detective Agency (Earls Court, you will need to book in your case) Churchill Arms (Notting Hill, Ecentric British pub covered in plants) Barts (Sth Kensington) Aeronaut (Acton)
East London: Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town (Liverpool Street, cocktail bar) Nightjar (Old Street)
South London: Bunga Bunga (Battersea) Fu Manchu (Clapham North) The School House (Clapham Junction)
Nth London: Bounce (Farringdon) Dead Dolls House (Islington) Bobby Fitzpatrick (Hampstead)
Best Pubs for drinking in the sun?......Great London Beer Gardens
For a country not renowned for sunshine, pubs are well set up for when the sun does come out. Here are some we recommend.
West London: Whitehorse (Parsons Green) Pitcher & Piano (Richmond) Windsor Castle (Notting Hill) The Crabtree (Hammersmith) Coat & Badge (Putney) The Drayton Court Hotel (Ealing)
South London: Hope and Anchor (Brixton) The Sun (Clapham Common) The Ship (Wandsworth) The Avalon (Clapham South) Leather Bottle (Earlsfield) Herne Tavern (East Duwich) The Rye (Peckham)
East London: Pub on the Park (Bethnal Green) The Gun (Crossharbour/Canary Wharf) Queen of Hoxton (Hoxton) Peoples Park Tavern (Victoria Park, South Hackney) The Old Brewery (Greenwich)
North London: Edinburgh Castle (Camden Town) The Albion (Islington) Faltering Fullback (Finsbury Park) Canonbury Tavern (Islington) Spaniards Inn (Hampstead)
Central London: Anchor Bankside (South Bank) Tattershall Castle (Embankment) Gordon's Wine Bar (Embankment) Founders Arms (South Bank)
Where is best to drink on a budget?
As a rule Sam Smith's and Wetherspoons offer value for money beverages.
Central London: The Glasshouse Stores (W1F 9UJ, Soho/Piccadilly Circus) Red Lion (W1B 5PR, Soho) John Snow (W1F 9QJ, Soho) The Chandos (WC2N 4ER, St Martins Lane, Leicester Square) Princess Louise (WC1V 7EP, Fitzrovia) The Champion (W1T 3PA, Fitzrovia) The Montagu Pyke (Charring Cross) The Crosse Keys (Bank) Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese (EC4A 2BU, St Pauls, Fleet Street) Wetherspoons (Victoria Station) The George and Vulture (EC3V 9DL, Bank) The Angel (SE16 4NB, Bermondsey) The Liberty Bounds (Tower of London)
West London: Earl of Lonsdale (W11 2QA, Notting Hill) The Rocket (Putney) William Morris (Hammersmith) The Wibbas Down Inn (Wimbledon) Lloyds Number 1 (Fulham Broadway) Red Lion and Pineapple (Acton Town) The Central Bar (Shepherd's Bush)
East London: Captain Kidd (E1W 2NE, Wapping) Hamilton Hall (Liverpool Street) The Ledger Building (Canary Wharf) The Half Moon (Mile End) The Gate Clock (Greenwich) The Masque Haunt (Old Street)
South London: The Beehive (Brixton) JJ Moons (Tooting) The Moon Under Water (Balham) The Holland Tringham (Streatham) The Kentish Drovers (Peckham) The Capitol (Forest Hill) Fox on the Hill (Camberwell) The Pommelers Rest (Tower Bridge South) Rockingham Arms (Elephant & Castle)
North London: Ice Wharf (Camden Town) The Angel (Angel) The Rochester Castle (Stoke Newington) Ye Olde Swiss Cottage (NW3 5EL, Swiss Cottage)
Which pubs/bars are best for live music?
Original Music/Bands - Dublin Castle (Camden Town) The Lexington (Islington) Magic Garden (Battersea) Half Moon (Putney) Hootananny (Brixton) Victoria Dalston (Dalston) 100 Club (Soho)
Classic Cover Bands - Oneill's (Soho) Porterhouse (Covent Garden) Roadhouse (Covent Garden)
Jazz - Ronnie Scotts (Soho) Jazz Cafe (Camden) 606 Club (Chelsea) Vortex Jazz Club (Dalston)
Piano Bar Sing alongs - Players (Charring Cross) Piano Bar (Kensington High Street) Piano Works (Farringdon)
Live DJ - Big Chill House (Kings Cross) Venn Street Records (Clapham Common) Old School Yard (London Bridge) Queen of Hoxton (Shoreditch) Old Street Records (Shoreditch) Jewell (Piccadilly) Salvador and Amanda (Covent Garden)
What Bars are best for watching sport?
Lots of pubs and bars in London show sports, the bars below are good for being able to show multiple games at the same time.
The Famous Three Kings (West Kensington) Belushi's (London Bridge) Rileys (Haymarket), Alexandra (Clapham Common) Bar Kick (Shoreditch) Euston Flyer (Euston/Kings Cross) Greenwood (Victoria)
London Night Clubs
Central London: Bar Rumba (Soho) Mahiki (Mayfair) Tiger Tiger (Piccadilly Circus) Roadhouse (Covent Garden) Bar Salsa (Soho) Fabric (Farringdon)
West London: Notting Hill Arts Club (Notting Hill) Embargo (Chelsea) The 151 Club (Chelsea)
East London: Cargo (Shoreditch) Queen of Hoxton (Shoreditch) XOYO (Shoreditch) Studio 338 (Greenwich)
South London: Infernos (Clapham Common) Bunga Bunga (Battersea) Ministry of Sound (Elephant & Castle) Electric (Brixton) Corsica Studios (Elephant & Castle) CLF Art Cafe (Peckham)
Nth London: Proud (Camden Town) Egg (Kings Cross)
LGBT: Heaven (Charing Cross) Dalston Superstore (Dalston)
Are there any 24 hour bars in London?
London does not have any 24 hours bars unfortunately, however you do have options:
Restaurants with a 24 hour alcohol licence. VQ (Chelsea & Aldgate are both 24 hours...the have other restaurants in Notting Hill and Bloomsbury with late licences) Duck and Waffle (Liverpool Street) Polo Bar (Liverpool Street)
24 hour Casinos with a late licence: Empire (Leicester Square) Grosvenor Casino, The Gloucester (Gloucester Rd) Genting the Colony Club (Sth Kensington)
24 hour Pool Halls with a late licence: Hurricane Room (Kings Cross, Acton, Tooting, Colindale)
Quirky/Interesting storys and Facts about London Pubs
Famous world leaders and London pubs:
London's pubs have a strong association with famous world leaders. Gandhi used to frequent the "Famous Three Kings" whilst he lived in nearby Baron's Court, Ho Chi Minh worked in the kitchen at the Drayton Court, Queen Elizabeth I once danced around a cherry tree at the Ye Olde Mitre, General Charles De Gaulle wrote his speech rallying the French people when taken over by the Germans at the French House in Soho, Karl Marx and Frederick Engels drafted the Communist Manifesto at the Red Lion in Great Windmill Street which is now a B@1.
