Nightlife in London

34 clubs, live music venues and late-night spots in London.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

DrinkHolborn-Clerkenwell
Betsey Trotwood
Live music in the cellar every Friday. Venue is like a very small dungeon, but they know what is good music.
SeeBloomsbury
Brunei Gallery, SOAS University of London
An exhibition space that hosts a programme of changing contemporary and historical exhibitions from Asia, Africa and the Middle East, aiming to present and promote cultures from these regions and to be a student resource and public facility. There are live music performances every last Wednesday of every month except December and July.
Tue–Sat 10:30AM–5PM, Thu 10:30AM–8PMFree
DrinkLeicester Square
De Hems Dutch Cafe Bar
Dutch-themed pub with an excellent selection of beers. It is often crowded, but has a good atmosphere and a comedy club.
EatCity of London
Duck and Waffle
All day dining on the 40th floor of the Heron Tower. Popular in the very late night for a bite after going out and waiting to watch the sunrise over the rest of London.
Daily 24hrMains £20-50
DrinkCamden
Electric Ballroom
A historic ballroom turned contemporary rock music venue. As a former dancefloor, the audience stands on a flat surface so it may be difficult to see the stage further back. The Ballroom hosts several different club nights. It is a big venue with two separate dance floors and four bars. Features a rock floor, as well as a floor for the industrial/goth/rock/techno genres.
Fri 10:30PM-3AM
DrinkCity of London
Fabric
A massive club (think cathedral scale) that provides a more underground version of Ministry of Sound and hosts some of the biggest names in dance music, from Goldie to David Holmes to the Scratch Perverts. There are always big queues, so get down early if you can.
Thu–Sat times vary (check listings)Entry £12-18, discount for NUS
DrinkHolborn-Clerkenwell
Fabric
A massive club (think cathedral scale) that provides a more underground version of Ministry of Sound and hosts some of the biggest names in dance music, from Goldie to David Holmes to the Scratch Perverts. There are always big queues, so get down early if you can.
Thu-Sat times vary (check listings)Entry £12-18, discount for NUS
DrinkCovent Garden
Halfway to Heaven
Traditional pub owned by the night club, Heaven. Aimed more at office workers and locals than the clubbing crowd. The basement bar hosts entertainment in the evenings.
Mon–Thu noon–midnight; Fri Sat noon–3AM; Sun noon–11PM
DrinkCovent Garden
Heaven
The most famous gay club in London, and perhaps the world. Has secret performances by the likes of Britney Spears or Kylie Minogue. Good fun, whether gay or straight.
Mon 11AM–5AM; Tue Wed closed; Thu Fri 11PM–4AM; Sat 10:30PM–5AMfrom £4 bottle of beer
DrinkCamden
Jazz Café
Food, drink, and music (jazz, soul, blues). Every Saturday the place turns into a great 1980s music club, with "I love the 80s".
DoPaddington-Maida Vale
Lord's Cricket Ground
The home of cricket, Lord's usually hosts two international five-day Test matches each summer (which sell out), as well as limited-overs One Day International and Twenty20 cricket. It's the usual stadium for Middlesex County Cricket Club, who were relegated in 2023 and now play in Division Two of the County Championship - these games last 3-4 days. Also here are London Spirit men's and women's teams playing in The Hundred short game. Lord's houses the Marylebone Cricket Club Museum, with a vast collection of cricket memorabilia - tours are usually available daily except on match days.
SeeSouth Bank
National Theatre
Three large auditoriums, the Olivier, the Lyttelton and the Cottesloe. The Olivier theatre is the largest with an open stage and a fan shaped auditorium around it. This ensures that all seats provide a good view. Most of the more 'popular' productions are put on here as the space provided is much larger than most theatres. The Lyttelton theatre is more traditional with a proscenium arc with good views from most seats. The Cottesloe is a small studio theatre, seating around 400. Some tickets will be available on the day, either day seats (arrive before 9:30AM and queue) or standby (arrive before 6PM and queue), or you can buy online. Popular shows, especially those around Christmas in the Olivier sell out months in advance. Tickets to The National Theatre are generally better value than most other theatres. There is also the '£15 Travelex' season in the summer (as of 2019) that provides a large number (over 100,000 seats a year) at £10. Booking in advance is required for these. There is also an exhibition space in the Lyttelton theatre foyer that frequently holds popular photographic exhibitions. Free jazz is often played in the evening in the ground floor foyer. During summer there is a free daily outdoor festival of performance, music, comedy and cabaret known as Watch This Space. Deckchairs (and artificial grass) are provided to watch on. Free exhibitions. Backstage tours £5.
EatCity of London
Polo Bar
An unpretentious cafe serving fried breakfasts and similar basic food 24 hr a day, and a great place for a late snack after you leave the Eat & Drink. Liverpool St is a safe area anyway but you cannot get safer than this for a late night meal, as at night you'll often see police from the nearby City of London police station. There are no toilets, however, so you need to use those at nearby Liverpool St Station.
24H
EatWestminster
Quaglinos
Owned by famed designer Terence Conrad, it serves standard food with a menu that changes frequently. It features live jazz every night and on Sunday lunch.
DrinkSoho
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club
Ronnie Scott's world-famous jazz venue. Most performances get booked up quickly: you need to reserve space on a table for dinner. Upstairs, there is a bar ("Ronnie's Bar") with more of a club-like environment.
Mon-Sat 8:30PM-3AM including Bank Holidays (closed 24-26 Dec); live music 9:45PM-2AMNon-members admission M-Th £20, F Sa £25; members admission M-Th £5, F Sa £10 (ordinary membership £60 per annum)
DrinkHolborn-Clerkenwell
Sosho
Sosho is a former photographic studio and warehouse space converted into a two floor restaurant, bar, lounge and club with a 24 hour licence, midway between the city and central Shoreditch. Sosho is light and airy during the day time, candle lit and loungey in the evening. Serve carefully sourced and proper food, with world class cocktails and great music on one of East London's best sound system. With a 24 hour licence it is a late night drinking and DJ bar during the week and a cutting edge clubbing venue at the weekend.
Tue noon-midnight; Wed Thu noon-1AM; Fri noon-3AM; Sat 7PM-4AM; Sun 9PM-6AM
DrinkWandsworth
The Bedford
Famed for the comedy and live music in the large galleried back room
EatWestminster
The Cinnamon Club
Indian restaurant. Housed in a converted Grade II listed library.
DrinkCamden
The Devonshire Arms
The Dev
The dress code is strictly alternative and the pub has got a late night license for Fridays and Saturdays. DJs every night and some gigs. The artwork on the walls was produced by Robin, the barman.
DrinkSouthwark and Lewisham
The Dog & Bell
A quiet old-time boozer, known for its fine selection of ales (usually 3 handpumps), above-average meals, and occasional regional beer festivals. Features a bar billiards table and sometimes live music (Irish folk music during the Irish beer festival, for example). There is a quiz on Sundays, and a performing arts venue across the street, in a converted brick warehouse.
DrinkHolborn-Clerkenwell
The Nightjar
Speakeasy-style cocktail bar. Regular live music fitting the prohibition era theme.
Sun-Wed 6PM-1AM; Thu 6PM-2AM; Fri Sat 6PM-3AMEntry W Th £5, F Sa £7. Cocktails from £9
BuyCamden
The Stables Market
This is the largest of Camden's market areas, featuring hundreds of stalls selling everything from African art to beds to fetish clothing to antiques. This is probably the best place in London for interesting clothes, including vintage, goth, cyber and general club-wear. Cyberdog is an experience just to look at, and the extreme basement contains some distinctly adult items. Burleska and Sai Sai are among a number of corest stockists.
Some shops open all week, but most stalls only Sat Sun 9AM-6PM
DrinkCamden
The Underworld
It is a great spot to go and catch alternative bands: goth, metal, electronica, rock, punk and many others are found here. Friday nights are also regular club nights, attracting large numbers from the young alternative crowd and more "studenty" than on Saturdays.
Fri Sat
DrinkSouthwark and Lewisham
The Venue
is a night-club popular with the artsy crowd of nearby Goldsmiths University. It boasts 5-floors with a range of music from indie to techno, and houses cover-bands such as Bjorn Again. Lots of bohemian pubs are close by where up-and-coming bands (Athlete, Bloc Party and Art Brut all started around here) and DJ's ply their trade.
DrinkSouth Bank
The White Hart
Fuller's
Really great pub with great mix of seating, specialist nights, interesting beers, great modern British pub food, and a nice outdoor area. Different nights including live music, quiz nights. Mixed crowd. Relaxed weekend day times, can get busy in the evenings. Decor is a mix of traditional, industrial/modern and quirky/shabby chic. Friendly staff.
Mon–Fri noon–9:30PM, closed Sat Sun
DoWandsworth
Tooting & Mitcham United Football Club
The 'Stripes' are a football club based at Imperial Fields. They play in BetVictor Isthmian League South Central Division and normally play their league games on Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons. The club has a café/bar with real ale and with big screen TV (Sky Sports) and has a gym.
Adult £10, concession £5
DoSouthwark and Lewisham Not mapped
Sands Film Studios
This film production company runs an informal cinema club which shows seldom seen and rare films. The club aims to disseminate a better knowledge of the history of world cinema. Club screenings are usually at 9PM every Tuesday. Attendance is free but you do need to join the club (also free and easily done by email - check the website).
DoSouth Bank Not mapped
The Southbank Centre
Southbank Centre is the largest single-run arts centre in the world and includes the Royal Festival Hall and the Queen Elizabeth Hall. It's one of the largest arts centres in the world, occupying a 21-acre site in the midst of London’s most vibrant cultural quarter on the South Bank of the Thames. It offers a wide-ranging artistic programme including classical & world music, rock & pop, jazz, dance, literature and the visual arts.
DrinkWandsworth
Adventure bar
Cocktail bar with daily happy hour.
DrinkBloomsbury
Bubbledogs
Champagne and cocktail bar serving gourmet hotdogs.
Tue–Sat 11:30AM–4PM, 5:30–11PMFrom £6–11.50 (glass of wine/champagne), £6–8 (hotdogs)
DrinkMayfair-Marylebone
Mahiki
Cocktail bar and club.
DrinkSouthwark and Lewisham
Ministry of Sound
World-famous nightclub with a reputation for strong DJs.
Fri 10:30PM–6AM, Sat 11PM–6AM (last entry 4AM)
DrinkCity of London
Savage Garden
Cocktail bar with 360 views of London
DrinkLeicester Square
Zoo Bar & Club
13-17 Bear St, WC2H 7AQ

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to London (CC BY-SA 4.0).