Best for After Work Drinks
Discover our recommended bars and pubs for after work drinks in London! Long day at the office? Let’s get you to the pub pronto. With plenty of great venues offering happy hour deals and chilled-out vibes perfect for kicking back and reflecting on the day that was, we’ve drawn up a collection of our favourites. From the heart of the West End to the centre of the city, here are the best places to get a drink after work in London.
Last updated on 16th October 2020
Want some happy hour merriment in the city? Patch St. Paul's and Patch East will happily oblige, laying on all kinds of cheap and cheerful drink deals between 4pm and 7pm every day. Get along to this handsome spot for after-work refreshment and they'll take 50% off bottles of wine and spirits.
With an extensive wine menu, a selection of cocktails and lagers as well as guest ales from east London's Truman Brewery, The Portman is a great spot for an after-work tipple or two. The gastropub is also primely located by Marble Arch station and has an upstairs restaurant if drinks should lead to food.
Originally owned by their father in the 1970s, Jack's bar in Waterloo is run by two brothers and offers its guests an impressive selection of classic American comfort food treats. The venue kitchen is used to planting smiles on the faces of its guests, plating up delicious pizzas, hotdogs and fiery wings.
Boasting one of the best locations in city, The Sterling is a favourite for after work drinks in London where you'll find yourself sitting at the base of one of London's most iconic buildings, the Gherkin. With an expansive outside terrace, the drinks often spill out into the shadow of the Gherkin making for one pretty cool place to enjoy a few with colleagues.
There's no shortage of decent pubs in the city, but we've always had a soft spot for the Lamb Tavern. Part of the fabric of this part of town since back in 1780, it's still a popular boozer of choice for those in the city, packing the punters in right beside the iconic Leadenhall Market. There's ales, wines and spirts galore, and if you track down one of the #ThirstAiders, you might just save yourself from queuing at the bar.
Work in South London? Wanting to sup on something sumptuous before the commute home? Lost & Found is a match made in heaven; serving up a vast range of cocktails each as delicious as the last, with live music and a fun time atmosphere chucked in to the bargain for good measure. Land two cocktails for the price of one between 5 and 8pm, and enjoy a complimentary sharing cocktail for all table bookings over 8 guests.
A Canon Street charmer, Jamie's Suffolk Lane is the answer to your after work drinks in London qualms. Something of a city favourite, this restaurant bar is a cool underground space steeped in exposed brickwork, an extensive wine list and a healthy happy hour reigning from 5pm until 8pm on week nights. Plenty of time for a couple then?
Please note: we can't be held accountable if after work drinks at Barrio quickly get out of hand, and you suddenly find yourself hitting the dancefloor hard on a school night. Amigo Hour is sometimes just too difficult to resist. Head along to this buzzing hub of South American culture where explosive cocktails and authentic street food await.
Situated on the bustling streets in the City of London, this venue is the perfect hideaway to unwind after a long day at work. Escape the workday stress and collapse into a padded arm chair, with a glass of wine in hand, of course. And if you're hungry, check out the extensive menu of steaks, fish and chips and grilled sardines for a delicious dinner.
St Barts Brewery is an eclectic and diverse venue in the heart of Farringdon. The extensive choice of artisan wines, spirits and beers makes it perfect for a bit of 5pm R&R, with the venue featuring its own ciders from Kent and unfiltered Meantime lagers coming direct from their brewery and into your glass.
Nestled in the beating heart of London's Leicester Square, Blind Spot is a smooth, sultry cocktail bar that offers guests a serene location to sit back and unwind with their favourite cocktail. Serving a range of exquisite concoctions and with a well-trained bar staff capable of mixing and flairing together an array of ingredients, the dim lighting and cosy armchairs create the perfect, laid back ambience to lose yourself in.
A perfect city retreat tucked away behind the bustle of London Bridge, Hide Bar is an intimate cocktail lounge with a seated only policy so you can come here to sup and socialise without the queues at the bar. Experts in the art of cocktail making, Hide Bar are top mixologists who are always developing the dynamic of their drinks to bring you something cool and unique.
If you're looking for somewhere to unwind after a long week at work, The Britannia is a favourite in Kensington for laid-back boozing and lovely gastronomy. Decked out with some traditional charm dating back to the 1800s, you'll find a pub mixed with vintage character and contemporary leanings making for a perfect after work drinks in London setting.
Work in the Covent Garden area? Sometimes you just can't beat a few drinks with the team at Be At One. Renowned throughout the city for their friendly bartenders and catalogue (quite literally) of amazing cocktails, there's not a day that goes by where happy hour doesn't last until 7pm and there's great tunes overhead.
An easy walk from any of Monument, Cannon Street and Bank stations, you'll find a buzzing scene after work on any given weekday at The Vintry. With full table service offered throughout the day you can kick back and clock off in style, with more than 170 wines on the bar alongside a refreshing range of craft beer, lager and cask ales. There's even a cool cocktail lounge where talented mixologists work their magic in the basement.
Situated within a stone's throw of St Pauls and boasting a quirkily relaxed vibe, Shaws Booksellers is the perfect spot for an after work bevvy. Have a well deserved pint of ale in this spacious and convenient setting. It has Fuller's Master Cellarman status don't you know, so it can offer you all sorts of great beery remedies for the day's woes.
If you have that Friday feeling all too early on in the week and the after work tipple is calling then Quaglino's are more than prepared to cater to you. Swan through this most decadent of restaurant bars and perch at the opulent bar area that overlooks the dining quarters where you can take in the fragrance of exquisite eats whilst you enjoy your liquor craving.
Balls Brothers Austin Friars is an excellent little spot to drop into after work, providing a serene refuge in the heart of the city. Promising a menu featuring drinks that "are pieces of art themselves", unwind into the evening by sampling the wild and imaginative cocktails on offer, or something from their superb wine and beer selection.
Well established as one of the Square Mile's standout wine bars, Willy's offers traditional charm and a fine array of global wines amidst the bustle of Fenchurch Street. Come 5pm you'll find discarded blazers and folks loosening their ties with something from the extensive wine list, and Willy's also serves plenty of food - the fish & chips are their pride and joy.
The Albion offers an extensive wine selection, a range of award-winning real ales and continental lagers in a relaxed pub environment just down the road from St. Paul's. Come by for a swift half in one of the friendliest pubs in the city, with great comfort foods and famous sausage roll bar snacks on offer if you feel like lingering into the evening.
The Refinery in the City of London is an all-day restaurant and bar that draws in guests with its fun, laid back atmosphere. Fitting in with its sister venues in the Drake and Morgan family, the venue serves its guests a range of seasonal and freshly produced dishes. From breakfast in the morning to after work drinks late at night, this jack-of-all-trades will cater to whatever mood you might find yourself in.