It's true - the term 'legend' is banded around way too much, but not in the case of Nightjar. Perfecting an irresistible set-up of innovative and beautiful cocktails tied in with a dazzling programme of live music, this wonderful cocktail bar in Shoreditch and Soho continues to win awards on the world stage. A must feature on any discerning drinker's bucket list.
Best Bars In London 2022
Think of this list as something of a love letter to some of the very best bars, watering holes and hidden cocktail haunts in the city. With amazing new drinking dens opening across London on a weekly basis, we’ve drawn up this shortlist of only the biggest and best places in town, from the weird and wonderful to the world renowned. Read on for DesignMyNight’s complete guide to the best bars in London and get to know the city on an epic, liquid level.
Last updated on 4th May 2022
@ Alcotraz Penitentiary: Shoreditch on Various dates from Saturday 28th May 2022
When it comes to the colliding worlds of experience and bar in London, few do it quite like Alcotraz. A locked-up, libation-led immersive night where wardens and smuggled booze are both as important as the other, these guys have excelled at creating an unforgettable night of drinks in the city.
@ Cocktail bars across London on Thu, 13th Oct 2022 - Sun, 23rd Oct 2022
What if we told you that for one week you could enjoy £7 signature sips from over 300 of the best bars in the city? Well, join in London Cocktail Week 2022 this October by nabbing a wristband, to enjoy these budget-friendly bevvies, alongside some surprise treats too.
There's quite simply nothing else like Aeronaut in London. Backed up by a consistent stream of 5* reviews (seriously, there's loads of 'em), as well as the DMN public's 'Best All In One Venue' of 2015, this Acton venue turns your standard pub experience upside down. Go for wholesome pub grub and beers brewed on site, with scintillating circus shows that break out into DJ and dancing sessions at the weekend.
The Cocktail Club venues are powerhouses of quirky drinks and rowdy nights across London. One of the best bars if you're looking for unadulterated, cocktail-fuelled mayhem, check out this dive bar for off-kilter concoctions and a playlist of nothin' but feel-good, sing-along classics. More suited to lively all-nighters than cosy date nights, don't be surprised to find yourself up on the bartop dancing the night away.
Spirit of Tiki Brunch Saturdays & Sundays and 4 other offers
One for all you rum aficionados, Laki Kane is the Upper Street spot transporting you to warmer climes. Along with a stunning interior and energetic bartenders, you can expect pan-Asian bites, a buzzing atmosphere and all things rum.
Oriole is an oasis of mystery and magic that transports you to a disconnected outside world. Sister site to the multi-award winning Nightjar, this is a truly vibrant bar of exotic influence and global design. Settle in and explore a cocktail menu comprised of exotic ingredients, take in some live jazz tunes and pick at a food menu offering spices and seasonings gathered from far and near.
This literally hidden gem is a chic cocktail bar and dim sum parlour in the heart of Chinatown. If you're lucky enough to find the inconspicuous green door and get in then you'll be able to experience three floors of delicious Asian cocktails and food. With a cool, trendy following this bar is sure to impress and make for a big night out with their late night opening hours.
25% off total food bill plus a welcome glass of prosecco per person. and 1 other offer
Hoxley and Porter's quirky train-carriage theme is interspersed with retro-chic finishes to the colours of turquoise and teak. The extravagant decor provides a stylish place to sit and sample some of the tasty British menu classics and creative cocktails. Conjuring a modern Oriental edge to its interior, this bar is exotic from drinks to food to feel.
This late night cocktail bar in King's Cross whips up unbeatable cocktails served in mismatched teacups. How quaint! With old-styled decor mixed with a glittery skull head disco ball this place has fun-house vibes aplenty and is the perfect venue for a feel-good fun night out. Expect dessert cocktails, great music, a fun crowd and retro sweets. There is no place like Simmons.
If you're looking for something a little different from your London bar, Prohibition-style speakeasy Evans & Peel Detective Agency has your back. Head behind the hidden door to find this secret spot, where you'll be rewarded with American bar snacks and plenty of cocktails that were first whipped up from bootlegged liquor.
Seek out this hidden gem in the East End and you'll immediately reap your rewards. Apples & Pears serves up fantastic and innovative cocktails in an energetic setting, evoking an infectious atmosphere that rivals some of London's top Prohibition plots. The eclectic music programme ensures there's always something to keep your toes tapping.
So bear with us a little here; darts is actually really, really fun. Flight Club have breathed a completely fresh lease of life into this age-old classic of a pub game, welcoming you to their super-stylish oches to play interactive games with live-scoring and lots of impressive technology. You game? Good, bring your squad along to Shoreditch or Bloomsbury for lots of competitive socialising, pizzas and drinks!
The Piano Works is a warehouse space of jazz inspired jubilance where the piano takes centre stage and the entertainment comes from requests made by yours truly. Set in a Victorian listed building, this place is a fusion of industrial underground and classic music. Sit down, stand up, sing, dance and drink at this place.
The second Bounce site in London brings more of the same playful ping-pong antics to a buzzing location close to Old Street. With 17 tables (including one used for the World Championships Final in Tokyo), there's no better place to get down to some serious competitive socialising with your mates, with cocktails and delicious Italian food to keep you on top form.
50% off your entire bill for our opening week for groups up to 6 people!
Fronting New York-style loft interiors and an Andy Warhol-themed vault, The Little Scarlet Door is a totally unique offering in Soho. Think unique cocktails and plenty of DJs, all enjoyed in this cool space.
Nestled in the heart of Shoreditch, Callooh Callay is a quirky, cocktail favourite, where talented bartenders mix up some of the most imaginative cocktails in London. Filled with plush furnitures, decadent colourways and moody lighting this bar packs a punchy atmosphere with plenty of bar areas to mooch around and even some secrets to discover....shh.
After live music, food and cocktails in Shoreditch? Old Street Records throws its hat into the ring with a cutting-edge approach to live music across its two floors. Take in EP launches, new bands and established acts alike in a record-store setting, or make for the intimate basement below where jazz nights and DJ sessions are usually held.
Black Rock is one of the best bars in London by combining a love of whisky with a cool, minimalist and contemporary drinking space. They offer over 250 bottles of whisky, making it an ideal place for any connoisseurs out there, and their centrepiece of an 18ft, 185-year-old oak tree trunk used as an interactive cocktail ageing system is a something to behold.
It's all things leisure and pleasure at this Central London favourite (found in the iconic Bloomsbury Hotel). When you're not taking in the sparkling lights, the plush velvet armchairs and the premium date night vibes, you'll be head first in a menu of global spirits and premium cocktails that deserve your attention.
Mini-motor racing, on-site brewing, immersive team gaming... The Four Thieves really does have it all. Start with a drink or two in their year-round gin garden before checking in at their enormous games room; packed out with vintage arcade games, ping-pong tables, pool and a Scalextric-style game in the corner.
Iconic and renowned for its dossier of awards, Swift Soho is the perfect example of what makes London's cocktail scene so impressive. Tucked away in Soho, and now with a second site in Shoreditch, experience ground breaking flavours here.
London has no shortage of cool cocktail venues and eccentric mixologists, but perhaps none more so than those at Purl who take experimental cocktails to a whole new level. This quirky, underground hotspot, complete with cosy alcoves and even a piano, transports you back to a time gone by, into a world filled with different tastes and fragrances, to give you a cocktail experience like no other.