Best Bars in London: Where to Go for a Drink With Company
Which bar is best depends on the kind of evening you have planned. These are the ones that suit drinks with company: calm enough for conversation, impressive enough to matter, and willing to take a reservation.
Picking the best bars in London when you are out with someone is harder than it sounds: there are thousands, and only about forty can be trusted to work. Our test is deliberately tight. You can hear one another, nobody hurries you out, and you are not made to feel judged on the way in.
Cocktail bars that earn the hype
- Connaught Bar, Mayfair. The martini trolley, mixed beside your table. Formal but never stiff, and the staff treat every guest alike. Reserve.
- Kwant, Mayfair. Below ground, dim lighting, serious cocktails, and much less of a scene than the bars around it.
- Bar Termini, Soho. Very small, standing only, negronis poured on tap. Ideal for a single drink before dinner, useless for a long talk.
- Nightjar, Shoreditch. Live jazz on most nights and table service throughout. Book ahead, and ask for a booth when you do.
- Satan’s Whiskers, Bethnal Green. No reservations, no ceremony, and quite possibly the best-value cocktails in the city.
Hotel bars: the safe bet
For a first meeting, a hotel bar takes care of several things at once: simple to find, comfortable, open until late, and no one thinks twice about two people arriving separately.
- The Savoy’s American Bar. A true classic. Dress well, and arrive early to get a seat.
- The Savoy’s Beaufort Bar. Black and gold, built around champagne, and more dramatic than its American neighbour.
- Donovan Bar, Brown’s Hotel. In Mayfair, with photographs lining the walls and calm enough for proper conversation.
- Coral Room, Bloomsbury. Pink walls and high ceilings, ideal for an early drink ahead of dinner.
Wine bars for a long talk
- Noble Rot, Lamb’s Conduit Street. A deep wine list and food that stands up to it. Reserve.
- Sager + Wilde, Hackney Road. Laid-back, serious wine, zero pomp.
- Gordon’s, Embankment. Candlelight, great age, and a cash-only free-for-all at the bar. Arrive early or don’t bother.
Soho, for staying out
When an evening is heading somewhere, it still tends to head to Soho. Swift: aperitifs on the lower floor, whisky on the upper one. The Blind Pig, upstairs at Social Eating House, mixes cocktails. Milroy’s hides its whisky bar behind a bookcase. Each is a short walk from the others, which is what Soho is for.
For more hidden doors, see our guide to London speakeasies, and in summer our rooftop bar guide takes care of the view.
Some practical rules
- Always book in Mayfair. Turning up works on a Tuesday, never close to a Friday.
- Request a booth or corner table. It is free and transforms the night.
- Dress one step smarter. Few have a written dress code, but every one has an unspoken one.
- Get there a drink ahead. Being settled before your guest arrives beats any reservation.
Our ladies know these bars well, and most are glad to meet you at one before dinner. If that is your plan, read our guide to dinner dates and overnights and book two hours instead of one.
Where to next
Questions
A hotel bar is the safest choice: simple to find, comfortable, open late and calm enough for conversation. The Donovan Bar at Brown's and the Savoy's American Bar are both dependable.
Yes in Mayfair and at hotel bars, particularly from Thursday to Saturday. Most of the east London bars do not take reservations at all.
Few write one down, though all of them expect one. Wear a jacket and smart shoes and every bar here will let you in.
Soho stays open latest with the least planning: Milroy's, Swift and the Blind Pig are all a short walk apart.
Yes, most are glad to. Mention it when you book, allow two hours instead of one, and choose a bar with table service so nobody is left standing around.