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Best Bars in London

Best bars in London, from Soho cocktails and hotel classics to Shoreditch venues, west London rum rooms, and South Bank rooftops.

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Nightlife

Best Bars in London

Guide: Cocktail Rooms, Jazz, and Skyline Drinks

Best bars in London, from Soho cocktails and hotel classics to Shoreditch venues, west London rum rooms, and South Bank rooftops.

  • Swift SohoSwift Soho splits the night well: fast, bright aperitif drinks upstairs and a darker basement for more deliberate cocktails, strong technique, and a room polished enough for dates without feeling stiff.
  • American Bar at The SavoyThe American Bar at The Savoy is London's legendary art deco hotel bar, built around classic cocktails, white-jacket service, and a live jazz pianist every night. Book it when the drink is meant to be part of the story.
  • Happiness ForgetsHappiness Forgets is a low-lit Hoxton basement devoted to concise cocktails, strong classics, and attentive table service without theatrical presentation.
  • Trailer HappinessTrailer Happiness is a retro, kitsch-filled Polynesian cocktail bar near Portobello, with rum-heavy drinks, basement energy, and Caribbean-style snack food for a late Notting Hill night.
  • 12th Knot12th Knot is the Sea Containers rooftop bar for skyline cocktails, DJ nights, and sunset views over the Thames.
  • Ronnie Scott'sRonnie Scott's is the Soho jazz institution that turns nightlife into a booked event: headline players, late shows, supper-club atmosphere, and a reason to build the whole evening around music.
  • Eve BarEve Bar is the basement cocktail escape under Frog by Adam Handling, useful when Covent Garden needs sharper drinks, low light, and more edge than the piazza's obvious pub-and-chain circuit.
  • Mr Fogg's TavernMr Fogg's Tavern is a playful Covent Garden pub for groups seeking theatrical decor, gin, pub food, and an easy pre-show drink. It is not subtle, but it solves the fun-near-the-piazza problem.
  • ArtesianArtesian at The Langham is Marylebone's cocktail heavyweight, known for high-concept drinks, hotel polish, and a bar program with global reputation.
  • Behind This WallBehind This Wall is the Hackney cocktail basement for sound-system care, seasonal drinks, and a more considered bar stop before the night gets louder.
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