In a city of swanky rooftop spots, award-winning watering holes and boozers boasting in-house distilleries, it can sometimes feel like you're burning through your paycheck. But that doesn't have to be the case. We've searched high and low to find the crème de la crème of cheap cocktail bars in London that'll let you blow off steam while saving some money.
When it comes to cheap cocktails in London, a Simmons bar is arguably the best. Check out any of the 15 sites around the city and you'll find kitsch interiors, a buzzy atmosphere and a menu of delicious drinks at budget prices. To top it all off, it also boasts an unrivalled weekday happy hour at different times across its venues in Soho, Putney, Tower Bridge and more.
Boasting sites in Shoreditch, Covent Garden, Clapham and beyond, The Cocktail Club are putting on an impressive happy hour London-wide. Head to one of their quirky, themed locations to snap up two cocktails, like the house mojito or the Bramley apple smash, for £12.
An activity bar with a twist, Four Quarters Peckham aren't just serving up impressive arcade games and consoles in South London. Enjoy their creative cocktail list at just £8.50 a pop, or 2 for £15, where you can try the likes of their Yoshi sour with watermelon liquor, vodka and egg white.
Known as one of the most affordable places to drink in the City, Pitcher & Piano is a great shout for after-work tipples with mates. Spend your time sampling blackberry and coconut spritzes, chocolate orange espresso martinis and giant pornstar rumtinis at a great price.
If you're looking for cheap cocktails, like 2 for £10 from 9pm 'til 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, head to Ohana in South Woodford. It boasts elegant, chic interiors with a vibrant atmosphere, bespoke drinks, plus a second room where music reigns supreme.
HAPPY HOUR 🍸| £8 Cocktails | £4 Bottles of beer | £18 Bottles of wine | £20 Bottles of prosecco
If you're looking for affordable drinks and a buzzing atmosphere throughout the week, head down to The Bootlegger in Richmond or Covent Garden. Located close to the river, this Prohibition-inspired destination is filled with vintage decor, as well as a stage that hosts live music and DJ sets on a regular basis.
They've got a cracking cocktail selection, and during their happy hours from Sunday to Friday, you can nab them for just £8 each. Plus, they offer £7 margaritas on bank holidays, and two for £10 cocktails to students on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Their brand-new summer cocktail menu features six bespoke creations crafted for long evenings - all priced at an accessible £9.50 every day until 11pm during Sunset Hours. Cosy up underground and share a tropical, mint-forward Malibu Coconut Mojito or a beautifully balanced, sweet-and-spicy Honey & Ginger Penicillin.
If you've been on a night out in London, the chances are that you've been to Barrio. With venues in Shoreditch and beyond, it's up there with the best cheap bars in Central London and is a popular choice for groups looking to get their evening off to a brilliant start.
Balham beaut and all-rounder The Exhibit are promising a daily happy hour, where their drinks favourites go on sale at 2-4-1. What to have? Try their lychee martini, porn star martini, or give a glass of prosecco a go outside on their stunning terrace.
When it comes to affordable drinks in North London, Homeboy should be at the top of your list. Nestled on Essex Road, this award-winning bar is serving up a dose of Irish hospitality with its signature cocktails and proper ales, accompanied by a chilled playlist of R&B and hip hop. Tipples start from £12, so treat yourself to a negroni.
Looking for the best cheap cocktails in London? You'll certainly want to venture to All Bar One. These crackin' venues offer a range of fabulous booze-fuelled deals, from Fizz Fridays where bottles of prosecco are £25 a pop to Five O'Clocktails which includes two of the same tipple for £15.
Three Colts Tavern is found just shy of Bethnal Green's tube station and is a super cool place to drink. They've a wide range of IPAs and cask ales from the best breweries around the country, and a drinks menu boasting frozen margaritas and daiquiris. Expect Wednesday quiz nights, weekly DJs and live music, and pizza to fill up on too.
OTT? A little. A sure-fire great night out? Hells yes. Meet Tonight Josephine: a cocktail bar that'll have you feeling all kinds of fierce. Decked out in neon signs, glitter walls and metallic furnishings, the Waterloo boozer will have you sipping on a steady flow of lemongrass collins' while bopping to a soundtrack of pop tunes.
Happy Hour 4pm till 7pm Wednesday - Saturday🍹 and 1 other offer
Keep your diary free from 4pm to 6pm Tuesday 'til Saturday for a visit to the affordable cocktail spot, FAM. Celebrating music and hits on vinyl, it's a fun and retro homage to drinking, where you can grab £8 cocktails. Count us in.
If you're a fan of cheap bars in London then you're going to love Patch St. Paul's. You'll find this sleek hangout next to the iconic cathedral serving up a wicked happy hour between Tuesday and Friday from 4pm 'til 7pm. Bag 50% off bottles of wine and house spirits, plus 2-4-1 on cocktails.
Hidden under the archways of Leyton Midland station, Leyton Calling is a tropical-themed cocktail bar inspired by 1970s americana. The intimate space features dark wooden furniture, rope decorations on the ceiling and sultry low lighting, boasting a killer cocktail menu.
Between 5 and 7pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, you can nab cocktails for just £6. They've got all the classics, as well as signature sips like the Parakeet Punch or a Juan Margarita.
A trendy apericena bar in Brixton, Il Maremmano is a great shout for cocktails and small plates. The creative concoctions here start from as little as £10, with blends like the chilli cherry negroni or a classic Aperol spritz. While you sip in the terracotta surrounds, grab delicious bites like home-marinated olives, Italian cheese boards and wild boar.
Zebrano hosts a range of club nights which all have one thing in common - cheap cocktails in Soho. During their 'zappy hour' you can get your hands on them for just £5.50, alongside DJ sets and a whole load of other affordable drinks too.
How could we not include Be At One on our list of London's best bars for cheap cocktails? The party pros have garnered acclaim around the country for their cheeky bartenders, fun sips and tunes that'll keep you on your feet after the sun goes down.
Hop on over to Nordic Bar for some of London's cheapest cocktails. Located by Oxford Circus, the Scandi-themed sports and party haunt is bound to be full of revellers making the most of their beer pong tables, potent mixes and pitchers, all at a wallet-friendly price.
For a fun night with happy hour cocktails, Tequila Mockingbird is the place for you. As well as fabulous interiors and exotic drinks, you and your friends can expect a resident DJ playing tunes 'til 2am on the weekends, whether you head to Shoreditch, Putney or any of their other branches.
