20 Best Bars in London: Cocktails, Pubs and Hidden Spots
The London bars that deserve a place on your night-out list
The queue outside Satan's Whiskers starts at five and nobody in it is wearing a suit. This is Bethnal Green's unassuming finest cocktail bar, the one bartenders drink at, tucked between a laundrette and a strip club on Cambridge Heath Road. You can walk in or call ahead, but either way you're after the same thing: a cocktail that costs less than a pint and tastes like someone actually cared.
London's bar scene in September 2026 breaks neatly into clusters. There are the neighbourhood haunts—Satan's Whiskers, Happiness Forgets, Discount Suit Company—where cocktails sit around £12-£17 and nobody minds if you ask for something off-menu. There are the speakeasies that require a booking and a sense of adventure: Opium behind its jade door in Chinatown, Archive and Myth inside the Hippodrome Casino. There are the hotel bars where walk-ins at 5 PM get a table but not at 9. And there are the restaurants with proper bar programs—Caia in Westbourne Park, where the drinks are secondary to the open fire and the vinyl.
These 20 entries are ranked first by drinking style (neighbourhood bars, speakeasies, hotel bars, wine bars, restaurant bars), then by how easy it actually is to get in without planning three weeks ahead. Time-sensitive information was verified in the past 90 days.
Satan's Whiskers
343 Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green · Cocktail bar, daily-changing menu · £12-£13, 5pm-midnight daily, walk-ins welcome but reserve recommended (020 7739 8362)
Named the best cocktail bar in London by the UK's Top 50 Cocktail Bars 2026, this no-reservations Bethnal Green neighbourhood bar ranks 21st on the World's 50 Best Bars 2025. The room is filled with taxidermied raccoons holding cocktail shakers, horse skeletons with unicorn horns, and a soundtrack of 80s and 90s hip-hop, yet feels like a welcoming, unpretentious local. Every cocktail costs the same flat rate, which strips away menu anxiety; drinks sit around £12-£13, and you should arrive before 8pm on weekends to avoid a wait outside.
Nightjar
129 City Road, Shoreditch · Cocktail bar with live jazz, 1920s speakeasy · £12-£25 cocktails, book 90 days ahead, 6pm-late daily
This Shoreditch and Soho speakeasy is highly placed on the World's 50 Best Bars list with 1920s speakeasy interiors, candlelit tables, dark decor, and nightly jazz sessions. Cocktails are priced from £12-£25 for single-serve, with live music bookings on weekends booking up over six weeks in advance, though a few walk-in tables are available each evening on a first-come, first-served basis. The bar currently takes bookings 90 days in advance.
Scarfes Bar
Rosewood London, 252 High Holborn, Holborn · Cocktail bar with live jazz · £20 cocktails, no reservations (seat within 5 mins usually), jazz Thu-Sat 7pm-midnight
Scarfes has earned a genuine local following despite being a hotel bar; lawyers from nearby Inns of Court come to drink here on Thursday evenings, drawn by live jazz Thursday through Saturday that creates a warm, intelligent atmosphere, and walk-ins fill the bar by 8pm on jazz nights. The room is surrounded by velvet armchairs, antique books, and the works of caricaturist Gerald Scarfe, where guests can enjoy bespoke cocktail experiences.
Discount Suit Company
29A Wentworth Street, Spitalfields · Hidden speakeasy cocktail bar · £8-£9 cocktails, walk-ins welcome, look for black door at street level
This basement cocktail bar, converted from a tailor's stockroom with exposed brick and timber beams, is accessed via a small black door at street level with low ceilings that create an intimate, tucked-away setting. Cocktails cost approximately £8-£9 per drink with bar staff mixing drinks at speed, earning genuine compliments for both quality and value. It's considered one of the top 50 bars in London and one of the top 10 speakeasy bars.
The Connaught Bar
The Connaught, 16 Carlos Place, Mayfair · Luxury hotel cocktail bar · £25-£30 cocktails, no reservations but book after 7pm, Mon-Sat 4pm-1am
A shimmering silver-plated vault previously crowned the best bar in the world on the World's 50 Best Bars list, with a bespoke martini trolley loaded with a customisable array of tinctures, garnishes and spirits. Reservations are essential after 7pm, with the early-evening hour being the one to book, and you should book a banquette rather than a bar stool. Smart casual is enforced at all Mayfair bars; no sportswear, no trainers, no flip-flops.
American Bar at The Savoy
The Savoy, Strand, Covent Garden · Historic hotel cocktail bar · £20-£25 cocktails, walk-ins 5-6pm weekdays, Mon-Sat 12pm-midnight
Opening in 1893, the American Bar has welcomed everyone from Churchill to Hemingway and is frequently named the world's best bar; the menu is inspired by stories and encounters that have unfolded here. The bar claims the enviable title of 'longest-surviving cocktail bar in London,' opened in 1893, with a room that feels like stepping into The Great Gatsby: all grey and silver, with a grand piano in the centre and Frank Sinatra's cigar lighter casually displayed next to Noel Coward's powder compact. Walk-ins are accepted before 6pm on weekdays.
Lyaness
20 Upper Ground, South Bank · Cocktail bar, ingredient-driven menu · £16-£22 cocktails, book 1-2 weeks ahead, views of Thames
Created by multi-award-winning Mr Lyan, Lyaness overlooks the River Thames with front-row views of the Thames and St Paul's, earning global recognition including the first bar to receive a 3 PIN award from The Pinnacle Guide. The menu skips the usual cocktail list and zeros in on ingredients; tell them what you like and they'll whip up something just for you, with expect some unusual components and combos that somehow work. Booking ahead is a smart move.
Opium
15-16 Gerrard Street, Chinatown · Hidden speakeasy, cocktails and dim sum · £13-£17 cocktails, £6-£12 dim sum, ring jade-door buzzer
Hidden behind a jade door in the heart of Chinatown, this award-winning speakeasy inspired by 1920s Shanghai is moments from Leicester Square, with three immersive cocktail bars serving experimental cocktails and handcrafted dim sum. The cocktails draw heavily on Asian ingredients including Sichuan pepper, lemongrass, yuzu, and jasmine, priced £13-17. Walk-ins are accepted but the venue fills quickly after 8pm on weekends; the no-standing policy means you need a seat to stay.
Happiness Forgets
Hoxton Square basement, Shoreditch · Neighbourhood cocktail bar · £14-£17 cocktails, half-walk-in half-reserved, changing menu
Down in a tiny Hoxton Square basement, this bar proves small can be mighty with low lighting, relaxed vibe, and a 'no wallies' policy that sets the tone; drinks are crafted by pros but without uptight energy, with menus changing often so you'll always find something new alongside classics. Priced £13-£17 with low rent and high standards, it's a small basement below Hoxton Square restaurant, unmarked but for a sign outside, and has been on the World's 50 Best list almost continuously.
Archive and Myth
Hippodrome Casino, near Magic Mike Show, Leicester Square · Hidden speakeasy · Black fleur-de-lis door, 2026 Venue of the Year (Bar Magazine)
Recently named 2026 Venue of the Year by Bar Magazine, this speakeasy sits inside the Hippodrome Casino right by the Magic Mike Show behind a black door with patterns and a fleur-de-lis centre, accessed via a numbered door with birds incorporating the numbers 44, 22, and 33 in 1920s design. The entrance is intentionally concealed, making finding it part of the adventure. Once inside, expect theatrical cocktails and immersive 1920s ambiance.
Caia
46 Golborne Road, Westbourne Park · Wine bar, restaurant, music venue · £90-£100 per person with small plates, open-fire grill, vinyl collection
Opened in summer 2022, this 60-seat Portobello neighbourhood wine bar and restaurant was founded by locals Rishabh Vir and Tim Lang, named after the Roman goddess of fire, with a seasonally changing menu cooked on a custom-made open-fire grill. Relaxed yet stylish West London bar pours expertly mixed cocktails and fine wines as accompaniment to smoky dishes from the open-fire kitchen, with the drink selection ranging from timeless serves to inventive house creations.
3'6 Bar
Fortnum & Mason, 3rd Floor, 181 Piccadilly, St James's · Luxury department store bar · £18-£25 cocktails, live music afternoons, smart casual
Located on the third floor of Fortnum & Mason's Piccadilly flagship store, redesigned in 2023 by French architect Arthur Mamou-Mani, the room doubles as an ever-evolving exhibition setting with works by leading photographers rotating throughout the year, and in the afternoon and early evening drinks are accompanied by live music. Cocktails lean classic, service is unhurried, and the whole place carries the same understated elegance the store itself is known for.
The Back Pocket
Swift Borough basement, 4 Southwark Street, London Bridge · Hidden speakeasy beneath cocktail bar · £7 happy hour (5:30-6:30pm), intimate booth seating
Underneath Swift Borough, this sexy speakeasy oozes date night vibes with cosy booth seating and stools gathered around an intimate bar, featuring low lighting, intimate nooks, and creative cocktails with seasonal market-inspired cocktails from £7 during happy hour. Though Swift looks like a smart cocktail bar near Borough Market, the real draw is the hidden room downstairs, intimate rather than gimmicky and handy for a Borough or London Bridge evening.
Seed Library
One Hundred Shoreditch, 100 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch · Bar in historic building · Cocktails, warm atmosphere, below street level
Located below street level at One Hundred Shoreditch, Seed Library offers a warm counterpoint to the neighbourhood's more frenetic pace; it feels like stepping into a familiar, comfortable environment designed firmly for a good time. The venue's positioning below ground creates an intimate escape from the Shoreditch bustle while maintaining sophisticated cocktail standards.
Sketch
9 Conduit Street, Mayfair · Multi-venue gallery concept, three bars · East Bar (modern, egg-shaped toilets), Parlour (live gigs, neon), The Glade (woodland, seasonal cocktails)
Famous for its spectacular art-led interiors, the Sketch townhouse is home to several bars, each with its own character; the ultra-modern East Bar serves cocktails and DJ beats but is probably best-known for its iconic egg-shaped toilets, the vivid Parlour hosts live gigs in a glam neon-lit setting, while The Glade is a magical woodland sanctuary catering to mixology enthusiasts with its evolving cocktail list featuring seasonal ingredients and rare spirits.
Sager + Wilde
229 Hackney Road, Hackney · Wine bar in converted East End pub · Wines from across the world, European-inspired snacks, cheese toasties
A nostalgic wine bar in a converted East End pub, with comfortable setting filled with tradition, where you can sample wines from across the world including unexpected options, and European-inspired snacks and small plates are on the menu alongside generous cheese toasties. The bar was opened by Michael Sager of Sager + Wilde fame.
Le Beaujolais
25 Litchfield Street, Covent Garden · French wine bar, classic setup · Wine-focused, low-key atmosphere, Covent Garden location
This Covent Garden wine bar made Time Out's top 50 for 2025, offering a Keith Floyd-core approach to wine drinking in a setting that feels authentically French and unpretentious. The neighbourhood location near Covent Garden makes it ideal for pre-theatre or post-dinner drinks focused on wine selection rather than cocktail theatre.
Jumbi
13-15 Peckham High Street, Peckham · Cocktail bar, Peckham rooftop views · South London destination, contemporary cocktails
Jumbi in Peckham made Time Out's top 50 for 2025, establishing itself as a must-visit for South London drinkers. The bar's Peckham location positions it as a neighbourhood destination rather than a West End tourist trap, attracting a local crowd.
Forza Wine
Peckham Levels rooftop, Peckham · Rooftop wine bar, South London · Wine-focused, casual atmosphere, views
Peckham rooftop spot Forza Wine made Time Out's top 50 for 2025, offering South London wine drinkers an alternative to Central London venues. The rooftop setting provides views and a relaxed atmosphere suited to evening drinks with wine as the focus.
Equal Parts
Hackney · Cocktail bar, equal-measure cocktails · Short, strong drinks with equal ingredient measures, signature list
At Equal Parts, the cocktail list is divided into two main sections with short, strong drinks made with equal measures of each ingredient and a 'signature list' featuring more unique recipes, opened by Michael Sager of Sager + Wilde fame. The concept strips away complexity while maintaining craftsmanship, making it ideal for drinkers seeking classical simplicity over contemporary experiments.
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