Best Bars in London

Guide: Cocktail Rooms, Jazz, and Skyline Drinks

For a London night with range, move from Swift's Soho cocktails to the American Bar's art deco ceremony, then east to Happiness Forgets, west to Trailer Happiness, or up to 12th Knot for a skyline finish. These are cocktail rooms and view-led bars, not clubs. Use it when drinks are the destination and the night should feel planned.

• 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 the Hoxton basement cocktail benchmark: low light, serious classics, no big performance, and a calmer counterpoint before or after the louder Shoreditch rooms.
• 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. It works when the South Bank route needs height and polish after museums or markets.