Best bars in London

29 people recommend, 11 warn against itvia r/london

Many people say Gordon's Wine Bar suits a date, and several praise the wine list, with one patron describing a cosy, intimate setting and another recalling candlelit evenings in colder months. Several people mention its outdoor area. Most who comment recommend it, but several describe queues or no free seats at busy times, and a couple say it has become tourist-heavy. Several patrons feel it has declined, and one of them is unsure whether it has recovered. One patron finds it stuffy, and one regular says the cheeseboard is not what it was.

9 people recommendvia r/london, r/AskLondon, r/AskUK

People recommend The Princess Louise in Holborn, for its interior and atmosphere. One commenter says it was restored to a Victorian character, and another likens it to a gin palace. One calls it the prettiest old pub in Holborn, one says its toilets are worth seeing for the architecture, and one found it the most interesting stop of their pub crawl for its decor. Another lists it among decent central pubs, and one says the beer there is decent.

Holborn

9 people recommend, 1 warns against itvia r/london

People praise Bradley's Spanish Bar on Hanway Street, between Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road. One patron calls it a brilliant, thriving pub, another a legend, and a third an institution. One commenter says it shows Barça games and has a great Spanish supporter atmosphere, but that it is tiny, so expect to stand. One commenter says it is not very Spanish despite its name, and another thinks hardly any Spanish people go there, though they add this may be out of date.

Fitzrovia

8 people recommendvia r/london, r/AskUK, r/AskLondon

People recommend this Spitalfields pub, which sits just off Brick Lane. One visitor says it has barely changed over the years and is a welcome change of pace from the modern bars nearby, though they find it not cheap. Another says it is one of the best pubs they have visited in London, although they have not been for a few years. Four people say it is good value for a night out.

8 people recommend, 2 warn against itvia r/london

People recommend Nightjar, with praise for both its Shoreditch bar and its Soho branch. One patron calls the cocktails among the best they have had and very imaginative, and another remembers a cocktail served in a metal owl. One patron who went for jazz found it lovely and calls the Soho branch nice too, with a different vibe, and another went solo to the Soho branch and loved it. A couple of people call it gimmicky, and one says it is fun but not somewhere to go regularly.

Shoreditch

7 people recommendvia r/london, r/AskLondon

People recommend The Southampton Arms near Kentish Town. Two commenters call it a cracking or great pub, one says it is one of London's best pubs for proper beer and cider, and another names it their personal favourite for cask ales. One suggests walking up to it from Hampstead Heath, and another calls it an amazing pub.

7 people recommendvia r/london

People recommend Pretty Decent, a brewery taproom on the beer mile. One commenter says it has the best beer on the mile, another says it has a loyal following, and a third says they now mostly go there. One visitor found it packed on a recent visit, one says it lives up to its name, and one who has drunk its beers since the first small site says the brewery is doing well. One commenter mentions a weekly Thursday pint deal at the taproom.

Walthamstow

7 people recommend, 1 warns against itvia r/london

The Constitution is a Camden pub that commenters recommend, mostly after its refurbishment and reopening. Two commenters think the remodel was done well, one calls the pub lovely with a canal-side entrance, and another says they would have gone nightly had it been open when they lived nearby. One commenter feels it was far better before its makeover.

Camden

6 people recommendvia r/london

People recommend Blythe Hill Tavern, and several call it one of the best pubs around. One patron rates its Guinness very highly and says drinks are brought to your table. One commenter warns that the seating is all benches, one remembers it as a great local years ago, and one who likes watching football there says it already gets too crowded.

6 people recommendvia r/london

People recommend The Blackfriar, a small wedge-shaped pub near Blackfriars. One person calls its murals and art deco lighting impressive, another lists it among London pubs with genuinely old interiors, and one calls it an iconic little pub. One visitor says it has become their favourite London pub, and another calls it gorgeous. A commenter also mentions that the toilets are down a steep, narrow staircase and that there is very little seating.

6 people recommendvia r/cocktails, r/london

People speak well of Dukes Bar, in a hotel. One patron says it was a favourite and enjoyed every drink, especially the Vesper, and another also enjoyed the Vesper. One calls the plain martini very good, one calls it top tier for traditional martinis, and one names it a good upmarket bar. Getting a space can be hard: one found it full soon after opening, and another advises booking well ahead.

6 people recommendvia r/london

People recommend The Ramble Inn in Tooting. Several commenters name it as a pub worth recommending, and one loves its table service, saying it saves waiting at the bar for a Guinness to settle. Another says it gets busy inside but there is usually a seat outside, and one calls it kind of okay.

Tooting

6 people recommendvia r/london, r/AskLondon

Piano Works is recommended across its London venues, including Farringdon, Soho and Covent Garden. One patron calls the Farringdon live music great, with mostly audience requests and a mixed crowd, and another says the Farringdon branch is great too. One calls the Soho cocktail bar decent, and another recommends the Covent Garden venue. One says a DJ plays after the regular sets, which they find cheesy but fun, and another calls it a good time.

Farringdon

6 people recommendvia r/london

Several people recommend Dog & Bell in Deptford. One patron calls it a great pub with an attractive building, though a large wall in front makes it hard to photograph, another says it deserves more appreciation, and one urges a fan of another pub to try it.

Deptford

6 people recommend, 1 warns against itvia r/london

Commenters lean towards recommending this Soho pub, and a couple praise the Guinness. One diner says not to skip the scallop, and one commenter says the food upstairs is good. A recurring concern is crowding: a couple of people describe it as packed at busy times. One commenter finds the interior nothing special, one feels it has turned hipster, and one says it has become more restaurant than pub.

Soho

6 people recommend, 1 warns against itvia r/london

People recommend Discount Suit Company, a cocktail bar on Wentworth Street near Shoreditch. One commenter calls it a fun choice, another suggests it as a cocktail stop, and a few others back it, with one planning a visit. One commenter says it has long been overcrowded.

Shoreditch

6 people recommend, 2 warn against itvia r/london

Several people recommend The Connaught Bar in Mayfair, and a couple of commenters suggest a martini there, with one mentioning a martini trolley that comes to tables. One commenter calls it the best bar in London, and another suggests it as a smarter option, advising booking ahead and dressing smartly. A couple of commenters are less impressed: one rates the Egerton better for martinis, and one found it overrated after a past group visit, though they note it may have improved since.

5 people recommendvia r/AskLondon, r/london

People recommend The Royal Oak in Borough. One commenter calls it a fabulous little pub, another says it is excellent, and one names it their favourite corner pub, with a lovely pint of Harvey's Best. One recommends it for real ale, and one asks whether it is the Harveys pub and says the beer is great.

Borough

5 people recommendvia r/london, r/AskLondon

Commenters recommend Exale, a brewery taproom on the Blackhorse Lane brewery stretch, which some spell Exhale. One commenter says they love it, one praises its distinctive beers, and another names it among the good options on that brewery stretch. One personally prefers it to another brewery, and one likes its Thursday local deal. One commenter expects the area to change in the coming years.

Walthamstow

5 people recommendvia r/london

Commenters are positive about The Pelton Arms, with three calling it great, excellent or class. One patron, who says it is their local, calls it the best pub in London, and another says they love how it looks. One commenter says live music happens regularly and that it stays open late, and the same commenter thinks its Wondercrust pizza is the finest in London.

5 people recommend, 1 warns against itvia r/london

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is a pub that people praise for its atmosphere, with one mentioning its nooks and crannies and another its remarkable interiors. Two visitors say they enjoyed it, and one diner praises the beer selection and the food. Two of those visitors were mixed, one finding the cellar plain and another calling it a tourist trap, and one other visitor gave up on a Saturday because it was packed.