Cool and Quirky Bars in London

Decked out in the grandeur of the Victorian era, the aptly named Victorian Bath House pulls back the velvet curtain to show you into a world of period luxury and vintage inspired food and drink. Sup on the finest cocktails, lounge in decadence and tuck into fine foods from top chefs at one of London's cool restaurant bars.

This thrilling tale of pirates and plunder is brought to you by the team behind Alcotraz. Immerse yourselves in a drinking voyage that'll see you attempt to steal long-lost treasure from the grasps of the governor, all while enjoying delicious cocktails. 

One of Chelsea's most sought after bar experiences, The Bletchley brings you both a fully-immersive cocktail bar and a World War Two-inspired escape room. Solve the clues to earn some personalised sips.

Throwing it back to 1920s Havana, join the fun-loving crew at the notorious Burlock as they churn out rum cocktails in a quirky London setting for the party hardy. Throwback? You bet.

Prepare to don an orange jumpsuit as you become an inmate at this immersive cocktail bar. Inspired by America's most infamous prison and the Holloywood movies surrounding it, Alcotraz creates a range of tailored cocktails based on your liquor and tastes - just make sure the warden doesn't catch you!

Sister site to the mighty Nightjar speakeasy, Oriole is a sumptuous space of global influence and exotic design in Smithfield Market. Come for luscious cocktails made up of tastes and flavours from all corners of the globe, equally tasty bites to eat and a live music schedule which spans everything from Cuban Son to West Coast African blues.

Being a cool and quirky bar in London seems to come oh so easy to a venue like The Bootlegger. Get set for a dose of cocktail razzle dazzle at this Prohibition-inspired vintage bar in the heart of East London.

Dirty Bones have taken over one of London's most beautiful bars for their third venue. Located in a Grade-II listed former pub, this outlet is all about velvet armchairs, refreshing cocktails and all the big dirty plates we know and love.

Inspired by the Wild West, this immersive cocktail bar is one of a kind. Try your hand at card games and solve clues, in the heart of Fulham. Make sure you've smuggled in your choice of tipple which expert bartenders use to create personalised cocktails based on your own choices and tastes.

Promising live jazz and blues, delicious drinks and an authentic New Orleans theme, NOLA in Bethnal Green is a completely unique London bar well worth routing out. Housed in a former Thai restaurant on Roman Road, NOLA was once voted one of the best cocktail bars in the world.

Taking residence in Victorian listed basement, The Piano Works is the revival of the loud and vibrant live music bars, where you can dance and party to the sound of a 6 piece band playing your song requests. Taking on a vintage style speakeasy, this House of Song is one of the best hidden gems London has to offer.

From retro wares which include old-fashioned maps and an incredible plant-ridden conservatory, Powder Keg Diplomacy is a vintage watering hole in South London. The Clapham spot serves up delicious cocktails mixed with everything from Earl Grey tea to citrus fruits, there's also a hearty menu if you're peckish.

Contrary to what George Michael says, drinks at this Covent Garden bar are not free. The team behind this bar certainly haven't gone in half-hearted. The venue's full of 500 bird decorations, a lagoon pool-style dance floor, a dazzling selection of colourful flowers and a handful of cabanas spread throughout. With various beach-grill inspired dishes, over 50 cocktails on the menu and some of the city's biggest DJs on the decks, it marries the right amount of quirk with all the things we love about a themed night out in London.

From the cocktails concocted with foraged ingredients through to the camp fire, Midnight Apothecary is one of the cutest bars around. Find it on Brunel Museum's rooftop every weekend, as the bar team whip up unique cocktails or serve beer sourced locally, including Hiver Honey Beer.

Found right around the corner from Tower Bridge, Simmons brings affordable drinks to their small but perfectly formed cocktail bar. Featuring quirky decorations (there's an enormous dinosaur's head, for crying out loud) and a friendly ambience, make sure you're in between 4 and 9pm on weekdays if you want to take full advantage of their famous happy hour discounts.

The Exhibit is Balham's all-in-one social destination. Come for a majestic cocktail or get stuck in at the dinner table, and don't forget they love a big party come Friday Night. There's comedy at the weekends, life drawing classes, art exhibitions and the chance to catch a film in London's smallest independent cinema space.

Cool? Yes. Quirky? Oh most definitely. Expect cocktails, science lab coats and plenty of detention-worthy behaviour at The Schoolhouse. Serving up food from brunch through to dinner and inventive cocktails till late, we sure as hell hope Ofsted don't cotton onto this one.

Using cutting edge technology, Puttshack has taken mini golf to the next level. Head to this quirky bar in Shepherds Bush and prepare to get your golf in 2018-style.

Step off the cobbled streets of East London and into this multiple award-winning cocktail bar permeated by a wonderfully eccentric vibe. This Alice In Wonderland themed retreat serves up their famously refreshing and punchy cocktails to an eclectic crowd who are enticed in by the weird and wacky décor. Keep your eyes peeled for the wardrobe that leads to a clandestine dining space and try an alcoholic slushie at the charismatic upstairs bar.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Bat, how I wonder what you're at. Borrowing its name from the Mad Hatter's poem, Little Bat is a quirky neighbourhood cocktail bar featuring plenty of Wonderland-themed influences. Expect a playful and imaginative ambience complemented by superb cocktails and attentive at Callooh Callay's new sister site.

Radiant with intimacy and tiki flair, it almost seems a shame to lift the lid on this secretive basement bar on Portobello Road. Head inside to uncover a world of exotic drinks, kooky interiors and delightful Dim Sum bites. It's an ideal spot for a date or a catch up with your mate, and cocktails like the Banzai '45, Mr Yellow Belly and Dia De Los Muertos will have you back time and again.

With its deep multi-coloured armchairs, bright wall art and list of original and delicious cocktails, Bourne & Hollingsworth is a seriously cool and quirky bar in Central London. The venue has space for 60 people and is perfect for everything from after-work drinks through to birthday party spots.

So much more than your average bar, this quirky spot in Palmers Green houses a full roller skating rink for when you're looking to get a little active on your next night out.

We Londoners think we've seen everything, but then a bar like Black Rock comes around and puts an 18ft, 185-year-old oak tree trunk in the middle of the bar and we're shocked all over again. The tree trunk acts as an interactive cocktail ageing system, that you can use on their over 250 bottles of different whiskies on display for your pleasure.

An ideal pitstop whether you're in need of cocktails, beers, wine or food, Ruby's is one of East London's true treasures. Consistently rated as one of the best basement bars in town, head to this Dalston favourite if your idea of a good night features innovative drinks served in an intimate atmosphere. There's also a lovely lounge area to explore, serving a wider choice of beers, wines and Vietnamese street food on the side of a curated programme of live music and events.

Ping pong bars are all the rage in London right now, and few do it better than Bounce. A buzzing underground spot made for eating, drinking and playing ping-pong late into the night, the tables here can fit up to 20, and the table service policy means you won't have to ditch your area when ordering in the delicious pizza or a few gin-based cocktails.

Killer cocktails, a cracking bar team, a cool as hell Hells Angels atmosphere and a thriving Shoreditch location. Yep, LCC Shoreditch is good to go for a memorable night out in east London. Come in, get comfy on the black leather couches and work your way to the bottom of an expertly mixed drink. Not sure what you fancy? The 'Smoking Barrel' should get you started just right. You're welcome.

This Tiki-laden palace is a tropical wonderland of bamboos, buoys and traditional wooden boats suspended from the ceiling. Trader Vic's is a Polynesian inspired hideaway where you'll find the kitchen knocking out exotic goods and the bar whipping up some of London's most infamous Mai Tais. 

This charismatic Angel hangout features a quirky train-carriage theme that takes you on a journey calling at great food central and innovative cocktails parkway. A plethora of shadowy foliage adds to the atmosphere and the friendly bar staff stroke train conductors make this a venue you won't go forgetting any time soon.

Shoreditch Platform is an exciting new space in East London that charges guests by the hour, making it a perfect spot for working during the day. By night the venue transforms into a fun bar and over weekends DJs spin until early in the morning.

Modelled on the activity of a 1920s speakeasy, head to this illicit underground  haven for a taste of unrivalled vintage glamour. A venue showcasing beautiful performers in full burlesque, come for dinner and a show, with an extensive list of wines and classic cocktails served at the bar of this dazzling burlesque experience in the city.

Swingers is a bar like no other, bringing two 9-hole crazy golf courses, alongside three street food vendors, five cocktail bars, two-storey clubhouse all for you to hang out in.

This quirky bar in West London is set to be flat party central outside of your own flat, with fantastic drinks, the coolest vibes, and even delicious, international food for you to tuck into. Expect mischievous mayhem when you visit.

A little know haven for tailored drinks, a brooding atmosphere and classic 19th century London style. The Punch Room is nestled in the London Edition hotel and quite the secret bar in London if you're searching for an intimate spot to enjoy some cocktails. Settle in to the timeless style of this unusual place to drink and try their speciality punch bowl cocktails. Take some time, you're gonna need it. 

Based on the HQ of the secret society that ran Victorian London, The Escapologist is part Victorian men's club, part Masonic Lodge; a totally unique drinking den based on the shady exploits of the infamous Baron. Head this way for sharing cocktails and cheese-drenched pizzas in one of the most eye-catching basement bars in town.

Head to North London where this fun tiki bar whips up some of the finest cocktails on Upper Street. Most come laced with bespoke rum and fresh ingredients for the sipping on, but if you're looking to kick things up a notch head to their upstairs Rum Club and try your hand at mixing your own rum.

There are multi-sensory drinking experiences, and then there is Purl. A speakeasy-styled drinking den located in the heart of Marylebone, the venue's pioneering approach to their cocktails involves utilising aroma, fogs, foams and liquid nitrogen to bring each and every drink to life. Make yourself comfy and indulge in one of these luscious libations – just remember the password for entry (Hair Of The Dog).

Boasting a DJ booth tucked inside of a vintage piano, cocktails served out of the finest of China, and luxurious seating arrangements, the Arts Theatre Club is certainly in the upper echelon of cool and quirky bars in London. This members-only, Soho speakeasy acts as the perfect, Prohibition-era getaway amidst the modern day hustle and bustle of the city.

Crazy Bear Fitzrovia is not only one of the best cocktail bars in London but also provides an extremely decadent venue to indulge in a romantic meal. Once you've swept down the luxurious red velvet staircase, you will be dining amongst the sound of chatter and clinking crystal cocktail glasses.

Delivering a happy blend between industrial chic and refined comfort, Core is a damn fine venue in the City of London. A good spot for a bite to eat and a couple of cocktails after work, Core is also a top spot for a disco as the lights are turned down. A good looking and quirky bar in London, Core is always a smashing choice. 

Draped with wicker masks, brass icons and even featuring giant maypoles (Maypole Dancing actively encouraged), Hand of Glory boasts an interior design to behold. Grab one of their rotating 'deadly ciders', sample some home-infused gin and gorge on a plate of fresh, lovingly prepared pub grub.

BYOC Camden is not your average cocktail den; for starters it has an amazing 1920s theme, complete with vintage blackjack tables and roulette, and secondly, you are expected to bring your own bottle of spirit for bartenders to whip into masterpieces.

A characterful den lined with an extensive choice of gins, kooky artworks and a snug basement space, Ask For Janice is a popular Farringdon local. Serving brekky and your morning coffee early doors, the venue lays on a choice of locally produced fare throughout the day and offers a livelier vibe later. A must try for any gin aficionado.