London’s 9 most dazzling speakeasy bars

From classic 1920s underground hideouts to underground tequila and mezcal bars, uncover some of the best speakeasy bars in the UK’s capital city to sample classic cocktails as if you’ve been transported back in time to the hedonistic prohibition era of the roaring 20s.

1. Lost Property Office

A speakeasy hidden inside a Brewdog pub in Waterloo, your experience starts with a concealed door which you can only uncover if you find the phone booth and pick up the phone. With an intimate and secretive atmosphere and Art Deco furnishings, Lost Property Office is the perfect representation of the charming style and ambiance of a classic 1920s speakeasy.

Weekly specials and seasonal menus of unique cocktails such as Palomas or Midori Sours or that are only available for a limited amount of time are what keep every trip to this bar unique and exciting. 

Lost Property Office

Brewdog Waterloo, Waterloo Station, 01 The Sidings, London, SE1 7BH

2. Mayahuel

Disguised beneath Adriana Cavita's fabulous new Mexican restaurant is Mayahuel, a dimly lit speakeasy bar specialising in tequila and mezcal. Crowd pleasers include the Tepatío Old Fashioned, the Jalisco Sour and Spicy Margaritas. To reach the underground bar you have to venture through the restaurant itself with its colourful decor and down some stairs. The bar itself drastically juxtaposes the eatery above to signal that you have reached your secret destination.

Mayahuel

56-60 Wigmore St, London W1U 2RZ

3. Seed Library

Seed Library © Caitlin Isola

One of London’s best-kept secrets, Seed Library is a relaxed cocktail bar in Shoreditch with cocktails created by megastar mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana, aka Mr Lyan. All of the intricately designed cocktails that feature on the menu are old classics but with a “Lyan twist”. 

Its soft 1960s stylings boast terrazzo tables and pine panelling make Seed Library a laid-back and welcoming space. There are only eight cocktails on offer but considering they have an award-winning mixologist it is without a doubt that each and every one of them will be of the highest quality.

Seed Library © Caitlin Isola

Seed Library
100 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6JQ

4. Nightjar

Being the epitome of Old School Glamour, Nightjar is decorated with classic 1920s allure, the dim lighting and dark colour palette offer a secluded and enigmatic experience. As well as their extensive cocktail menu, which is regularly updated, there is a nightly schedule of vintage music including the best jazz, blues, ragtime, and swing that London has to offer.

This September they have collaborated with Eminente Rum to create three unique cocktails for a limited time only, the Old Cuban, El Cantinero, and Toucan Colada all sound far too good to miss out on!

Nightjar
129 City Rd, London EC1V 1JB

5. Happiness Forgets

Happiness Forgets is a hidden gem in a stylish low-lit basement, in which professional mixologists serve “high-end cocktails in a low-rent basement”. Proudly part of The World’s 50 Best Bars list, Happiness Forgets prides itself on its eclectic, well-balanced cocktails and exceptionally hospitable staff. The cocktail menu is continually updated making every experience completely different from the last. Among the many fantastic cocktails on offer is the ‘Perfect Storm’, a combination of rum, honey, ginger, and plum brandy.

Happiness Forgets
8-9 Hoxton Square, London N1 6NU

6. Discount Suit Company

What was formerly a tailor’s stockroom has now been turned into a clandestine bare-brick bar serving classically inspired cocktails. The menu at Discount Suit Company is relatively small but perfectly formed, with cocktails including the Dama Peligrossa, the Discount Suit Company Highball, and the Wooly Back; the likes of which have contributed to its reputation as one of the finest cocktail bars in London.

The bar is accessed through a door beneath a dilapidated sign and down some stairs to discover an underground hideout complete with timeless leather armchairs against the urban wood and brick, all of which create an ambiance as if you’ve descended straight back into the 1920s.

Discount Suit Company
29A Wentworth St, London E1 7TB

7. 69 Colebrooke Row

Astutely called ‘The Bar with No name’ in its address, 69 Colebrooke Row offers a cosy setting to unwind and enjoy a few cocktails, aperitifs, and digestifs. The nameless bar has been at the forefront of modern cocktail making for a decade and yet the menu remains effortless and refined. One of the most popular choices on the menu is the Death in Venice, a perfect balance of Campari with grapefruit bitters topped off with prosecco and garnished with an orange twist.

69 Colebrooke Row
The Bar With No Name, 69 Colebrooke Row, London N1 8AA

8. Bloomsbury Club Bar

The Bloomsbury Club Bar is located in the Bloomsbury Hotel and takes its inspiration from the Bloomsbury Set, a hedonistic group of associated English writers, intellectuals, philosophers, and artists in the first half of the 20th century, including Virginia Woolf. The cocktail menu takes inspiration from a set of tarot cards, each creation corresponding to the 14 states of mind or being. For example, you could opt for a Forbidden Fruit, which will change your burning desire to everlasting love, or a Painted Veil, which is said to magically banish anxiety. The speakeasy also provides live music of the finest classic jazz or acoustic sets that the capital city has to offer.

Bloomsbury Club Bar
16-22 Great Russell St, London WC1B 3NN

9. Barts

Referred to on their website as “London’s Worst kept Secret”, Barts is one of London’s first original speakeasy bars. You can truly travel back in time in this bar and enjoy some classic cocktails from the “illicit cocktails” menu. Its quirky wall ornaments, dress-up boxes, and secret garden make this speakeasy unlike any other.  The extensive drinks menu includes timeless classics with a modern twist and creatively nicknamed inventions such as Leading Lady and Jumpin’ Jack Flash.