Late-night bars and pubs in London

Until 1am

Have a late night at the movies. The Clapham branch of the cocktail bar empire has a cinematic vibe, which extends to themed booths and quirky cocktails.

Until 1am (Fri-Sat)

Go on a post-midnight safari at Rockwell. The bar is decked out with so much plantlife, it’s practically a jungle. It’s also in a prime position, just off Trafalgar Square, so you can continue your central London quaffing until 1am – and in serious style.

Until 2am

Fancy a bit of late-night role play in Soho? No, you filthbag, not like that! Get your name down at Cahoots, the subterranean cocktail den based around a 1940s tube theme. If you get there late at night, just be sure to mind the gap.

Until 2am (Fri-Sat)

A dedicated classic and retro arcade games bar, Four Quarters is the place to go if you want to brush up on your Street Fighter II skills or just revel in nostalgia by playing Pac Man until your eyes go square. They certainly will if you’re playing until 2am.

Until 2am (Fri-Sat)

Nightjar opened in 2010 and has become such a huge success that it now operates an online-only booking system and charges your credit card if you don’t show up. Okay, so that takes away much of the spontaneity of late-night drinking, but it truly deserves its reputation as one of London’s best bars – so book ahead. 

Until 2am

A popular bar in the heart of Shoreditch. Great for group outings, especially if you’re up for live music and sharing pizzas.

Until 2.30am (Fri-Sat)

If you find yourself washed up in north London in the wee hours, you should definitely say aloha to Laki Kane. The Upper Street bar has a tiki theme, a beachy soundtrack and more rum than you can shake a sugar cane at. Ideal for some late-night good vibrations.

Until 2.30am (Fri-Sat)

There’s a lively roster of events at this Queen’s Road Peckham pub, as well as a menu of jerk chicken treats to fuel you into the wee hours. Get on the dancefloor for hip hop, R&B and disco nights that suit the young neighbourhood pretty well.

Until 2.30am Fri-Sat

Tufnell Park has a welcoming dive bar in Aces and Eights, where rock ’n’ roll plays on the jukebox, pizzas fly from the oven and whiskys are served by the dozen. With all that party to be had, it's a ruddy good job Aces and Eights stays open until 1am every day and 2.30am on Friday and Saturday. 

Until 2.30am (Fri-Sat)

A cheesy soundtrack of dancefloor fillers and, um, Queen hits keeps central London party people going until 2.30am on Fridays and Saturdays and 1am during the week. People clamber up the stairs to the first floor for a boogie once other Soho and Fitzrovia joints have long shut up shop for the day.

Until 3am (Fri-Sat)

Catford’s circus-themed nightspot channels a festival theme (it’s a pub with its own artistic director, no less). As such, grab some street-food snacks and then stay up late among the acrobats and actors.  

Until 3am (Fri-Sat)

A Brixton institution from back when Coldharbour Lane was somewhere people feared to go, The Dogstar is a big, three-floor street-corner pub exuding the urban authenticity loved by clubbers. Earning the accolade of being London’s first-ever DJ bar, The Dogstar has managed to sustain a loyal following over the decades. The atmosphere can be intense, but it’s never less than vibrant.

Until 3am (Fri-Sat)

If you’re looking to end things on a gentle note, lull yourself into a very relaxed state at this low-lit Marylebone bar dedicated to rum. Get all blissed out on rum cocktails and feel totally tropical in the faux-Colonial Cuban setting. It’s 2am closing on Thursday, but 3am on Friday and Saturday.

Until 3am (Sat)

This iconic Camden venue has live jazz and DJs and around 50 bourbons in a variety of categories, so you probably need all that time to ‘explore’ the extensive menu. 1am is closing time on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, but on Friday night doors are at 2.30am and even later, at 3am, on Saturday.

Until 3am (Fri-Sat)

This Kingsland High Street hangout is a bit of a face on the east London party scene. In true Dalston style, it’s home to all sorts: popular with a large and diverse LGBTQ+ crowd, but welcoming to all and everyone. DJs – mostly local, many well-known – keep feet dancing with sets from Wednesday through to Sunday.

Until 3am

This members’ bar takes walk-ins, so come on down and try getting a seat in one of the plushest-looking subterranean bars in central London. Disrepute is all about cocktails, and you can order something from a rather enigmatic menu or get the bar staff to whip you up a late-night Martini. Best of all, it stays open until 3am throughout the week, not just at weekends.

Until 3am

El Camion is Mexican-themed but, unlike the kitsch restaurant above – where you can corral generous burritos, tortas and tacos – it’s more a discerning basement drinking den downstairs where Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) iconography sits above a series of snugs. There’s swift and smiling table service and it’s open late. 

Until 3am

A buzzing three-floor joint filled with trendy groups and dating couples absorbed in lively chatter. The door policy is a little strict at times, so perhaps it’s not best suited for spontaneous trips. But if you’re planning a late-night soirée, book a table and sip on outstanding cocktails.   

Until 3am (Fri-Sat)

This couldn’t be a more on-trend hangout if it tried – a gin distillery on Mare Street occupying the site of the former London Fields pub. Decor is artfully distressed, and so will you be at 3am when the bar closes.

Until 3am (Fri-Sat)

The design of this Chinatown cocktail bar and dim sum parlour is Eastern smoking den meets Western hipster hangout, great for a late-night rendezvous. Come for theatrical cocktails until 3am at the weekend, with quality dim sum served up until 2.45am.

Until 3am (Fri-Sat)

Open until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays, Ridley Road Market Bar always has a queue winding down the road as soon as night falls. But it’s well worth the wait to get a spot on the dancefloor underneath the mirrorball for a spot of cosmic disco. Grab a ginger mojito and let the good times roll.

Until 3am (Fri-Sat)

The Shacklewell is usually crowded but generally convivial, welcoming a hipster-ish crowd to gigs seven nights a week. There are also club nights, magazine launches and afterparties, all benefitting from a late licence (the pub stays open until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays).

Until 3am (Fri-Sat)

This DJ bar still attracts a studenty, music-savvy crowd to what looks like a cross between an old-style corner newsagents and a Shoreditch-like retro bar. ‘Fantastic Four’ comic albums, board games in tatty boxes and furniture both wobbly and ratty are juxtaposed with a disco ball and a United Nations of beer cans on display. As for actual liquid nectar, drinks include cocktails and taps of Amstel and Tiger atop a tiny bar, behind which packets of Refreshers and Wizz Fizz offer childhood allure.

Until 3am (Thu-Sat)

Few bars stay open late all days of the week the way Slim Jim’s Liquor Store does. This Upper Street haunt is alive and kicking until 2am from Monday to Wednesday, and then keeps its doors open until 3am from Thursday to Saturday. This makes a 1am closing time on Sunday look modest (it’s really not in Islington!). Drop in for DJs, cocktails and quality whiskies.

Until 3am

The George Tavern is thought to be one of the oldest pubs in London, with the current building dating back to the Georgian era. The historic feel has been meticulously preserved, making it a late-night spot that’s full of character (and characters). 

Until 3.30am (Fri-Sat)

This Camberwell pub is dear to the hearts of locals, who voted it a runner-up in the Time Out Love London Awards. That’s in part thanks to late opening hours come Friday and Saturday, with DJs often providing ample entertainment.

Until 5am

One of London’s few famed 5am-ers, this historic Soho café was established in 1949 by Lou and Caterina Polledri, and quickly became a social hub for the Italian community in London. Despite several upgrades to the decor, much of the original fixtures still remain, from the red-and-white formica to the Gaggia espresso machine and the flooring.

Until 6am

Balans is famed for moving seamlessly from dinner in the evening to late-night sessions to early-morning imbibing. A good selection of the global wine list is available by the glass, including champagne. But cocktails prove most popular, with frozen Daiquiris and various Martinis alongside an Apple and Elderflower Collins, a Passionfruit and Pineapple Swizzle and a Monkey Gland: Broker’s gin, absinthe, orange juice and grenadine.

24 hours

Immediately opposite the main entrance to Liverpool Street station, this 24-hour café also serves local craft beers, English ciders and wines. It’s probably more convenient for a late-night feed than for getting tanked up, but there’s no denying its convenient location.

24 hours

This original VQ on Fulham Road – there’s another just off Tottenham Court Road, plus one in Aldgate – brings 24-hour dining to Chelsea. If you are stopping by later in the night, drinks – ranging from classic and house cocktails to draught beers and wines from a varied list – are available till late.