Pubs and Bars with Games in London
There are a lot of things we inevitably grow out of as we age, playing games while we drink is certainly not one of them. If you're looking for a night of pure, unadulterated fun at some of the best bars with games in London, we feel you. Whether you're looking for a classic boozer with its own vintage arcade room, a rowdy Shoreditch ping-pong bar or a basement drinking den that's home to foosball and all kinds of board games, there's bound to be something here for you. Long live competitive socialising.
Last updated on 10th April 2018
Rileys Sports Bar is a great place for games in London by offering foosball, ping pong, beer pong, pool tables and darts, which is basically every game you want from a bar. While you’re there, take advantage of their happy hour deals and grab some traditional sports bar American food, like burgers, pizzas and fries.
Belushi’s is a sports bar featuring an entire basement that’s dedicated to sports, fun and games. Make for The Dugout when the big sporting occasions roll around where you’ll find big screens, plenty of flowing booze and a crowd that plays beer pong and table football during half-time.
The Old School Yard has become a legend in South London thanks to its nostalgic decor and cheeky character. Based on Long Lane in London Bridge, the venue features Nintendo Games, vintage toys and classic comics, alongside a clock that is continuously set for 3:10 PM. Relive the frivolous days of your youth at this fun venue in London.
The renowned team at Pizza Pilgrims are looking East, serving their customers great pizzas coupled with 16-person foosball, plasma screen TVs and vintage video games. The famous pizza maestros will, of course, serve all the same Neapolitan pizzas that made them famous in the first place, topped with only the finest ingredients they can get their hands on.
1920 Bar works hard to ensure pool lovers have the very best facilities available to them. With four full-sized, American pool tables to show your skills at, cloths and cushions are changed every six months to ensure those pristine orange tables are always in great shape. Come along for a couple of games with your mates then hang around for a few cocktails afterwards.
The Three Compasses is known as one of the friendliest, most unpretentious boozers in London. This local East End watering hole offers up plenty to do, with board games, darts and table football all available here. Every now and then, they'll even screen the odd film or TV show - particularly during Game of Thrones season. A genuine cracker of a pub in Dalston.
Along with wooden shack style seating, a Tiki bar and a massive set list, The Love Shack in Lewisham also has two pool tables.
Cafe Kick is the place for football lovers. Along with heaps of memorabilia on the walls, it has a table football and regularly screens the matches.
Reasons to visit The Four Thieves in Battersea are plentiful, but their huge Games Room is arguably the biggest draw of the lot. Found upstairs - away from the buzzing gastropub - this grand art deco music hall features a whole host of retro arcade games, Plonk crazy golf, virtual reality and mini motor-racing.
Full of mouth-watering burgers and exquisite locally-brewed beers, the Crown offers the residents of Battersea a cosy nook to relax in. The entire venue is wonderfully decorated; with walls covered in vintage photographs and leather sofas as soft as a cloud, there's no better place to unwind with a pint of your favourite drink. To sweeten the deal, the lounge is full of all the simple board games that defined your youth.
The Club Room is an ideal spot to unwind with a few games of pool or billiards away from the frenetic surrounds of the city. Set yourself up with a drink or two and relax, facilities are free to use and the whole venue can be hired exclusively on weekdays, with only a modest minimum spend to consider.
Arcade machines, consoles and retro games are the least you can expect from one of the best bars with entertainment in London. Not only does this Peckham gem provide the ultimate in gaming fun, there's an American menu, quirky cocktails and a secret speakeasy in the basement to boot.
Nordic Bar provides Scandinavian comfort in the food and drink – with beers, wines and cocktails hailing from the region – but what about entertainment? Well, the bar has a cracking ping pong table, which – get this – is used for beer pong as well. That’s two games for the price of one. And if you want a more vicarious gaming experience, Nordic Bar always has sport on its screens.
Bounce is located in Holborn and offers one of the best game night experiences in London. With 17 table tennis tables, this place is really all about the ping pong! With British cocktails and top-quality food fired pizza on offer Bounce really does set itself apart from other ping pong venues with its devotion to keeping table tennis at the centre of everything.
We're breaking the first rule of Flight Club straight away, but when it's this much fun, we had little option. A fun and inventive bar that'll keep you entertained all night long, Flight Club brings social darts to the masses in a seriously attractive space. Games are super simple, there's real-time scoring and plenty of tasty food and delicious drinks to enjoy throughout; choose between Shoreditch and Bloomsbury.
As the name suggests, the Bat and Ball is definitely the place to play table tennis in East London. One of the biggest and liveliest sports bars, they offer an international selection of craft beers, wines and cocktails, while you can take the pick from 12 championship sized ping pong tables. The space is also open for private hire, if you’d like a more active birthday party.
Anybody for a game of Backgammon inside one of Covent Garden’s most snug and intimate hotel bars? With leather sofas, warm lighting and eccentric artworks adding some extra character, The Den is one mighty stylish and impressive spot to unwind with a drink and a board game or two.
Queens isn’t just any normal bar. They’ve got an ice skating ring and 12 bowling alleys to keep you entertained, a delicious food menu of MEATliquor tastiness to keep your bellies full and a bar stocked with all the cocktails you need.
Situated right on the Canary Wharf riverfront, 28 West is a place renowned for its classic American grilled fare and continental choice of craft beers. Sort yourself out with a tasty pint or an experimental cocktail then challenge your mates to a couple of games of table football at this easy-going riverside hangout.
How’s your petanque game looking these days? There’s nowhere better to hone your skills on the boules court than Hay’s Galleria; a friendly bar and restaurant that you’ll find inside the historic Hays Wharf. Thrash all your mates at this version of boules, then make straight for the bar where you can take advantage of their daily happy hours!
Bounce is one of the best venues in London for ping-pong. It’s an underground haven just down from Old Street that’s positively abuzz with the sounds of groups of mates holding their own tournaments. Lay down the gauntlet to your mates and bring them to this ping-pong palace - there’s also a cracking range of authentic Italian pizza to munch on and a list of cocktails muddled up by some award-winning mixologists.
While Bar Kick is known in Shoreditch for its cheap cocktails and beers and 3D football playing in its basement, they are probably best known for their table football! Come round for a match with friends or enter a tournament.
