The Edgar Wallace
Pub
Pub fare and draft beer offered in cozy quarters covered with vintage posters and other memorabilia.
40 Essex Street, Westminster, London, WC2R 3JE, United Kingdom
Live on the Realtime map
Where to go out in central London
Soho is still the centre of gravity. Old Compton Street, Dean Street and the lanes running off them hold more bars per square metre than anywhere else in the country, and they are busy from Thursday through Saturday without fail.
Around it: Covent Garden for the after-work crowd, Fitzrovia for something a little calmer, and Chinatown for the 2am end of the night. Realtime shows you which of them is actually moving right now.
191venues on the map
Within 2km of central London
Worth a look
Places to try in central London
A selection of venues on the Realtime map. Open the app to see which are busy tonight.
Mr Fogg's Gin Parlour
Bar
"Housing an impressive plethora of gins, tonics and botanicals, the parlour boasts a collection of over 200 gins, from known favourites to rare and uniquely selected gins. With comfortable, upholstered seats and an eclectic selection of trinkets adorning the walls, indulge in our exquisite and substantial selection of fine libations. Revel in our vast selection of experiences, from afternoon teas to gin masterclasses."
1 New Row, Westminster, London, WC2N 4LA, United Kingdom
STEREO Covent Garden
Bar
A sanctuary for passionate souls, where music, food and cocktails are woven together. Something special has arrived in London. Deep in the heart of Central London, hidden beneath Covent Garden Market, you’ll find a unique experience and it’s called STEREO. As the name suggests, music is paramount. Moving from jazz, funk and disco vibes of the STEREO house band to resident DJs. Experience curated one off artists perform on evenings that transition seamlessly from a buzzing aperitif and dining spot to livelier electric and electronic dance floor vibes. Come join the fun. Come join the experience. Come join life in full at STEREO.
35 The Piazza, Westminster, London, WC2E 8BE, United Kingdom
The Trafalgar
Pub
Wimbledon's Oldest Freehouse Real Ales, Ciders, Craft Beers, Wines & Spirits A South London Local
23 High Path, London SW19 2JY, United Kingdom
Soho and the West End
Soho does not really need a plan. Start on Old Compton Street or Berwick Street, walk, and adjust. The area covers everything from tiny basement cocktail bars to pubs where the crowd spills across the road, and it turns over fast enough that a quiet street at nine can be rammed by eleven.
Covent Garden and Seven Dials run slightly earlier and slightly smarter — good for a first drink, less good if you want to still be out at two. Fitzrovia, just north of Oxford Street, is the release valve when Soho is full.
Late and later
Central London's licensing is stricter than the East, so genuinely late venues are fewer and fill up faster. Chinatown handles the small hours for food, and the Night Tube on Friday and Saturday means Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road and Leicester Square are all viable exits at 3am.
Avoiding the queue
The central London problem is not choice, it is capacity — the good places are full and the empty ones are empty for a reason. Realtime shows live activity from venues around Soho and the West End so you can see which places have something going on before you join a queue for one that does not.
More in central London
Other places on the map
Gymkhanas
Restaurant
42 Albemarle Street, Westminster, London, W1S 4JH, United Kingdom
The Connaught Bar
Bar
16 Carlos Place, Westminster, London, W1K 2AL, United Kingdom
Blame Gloria
Bar
20 Bedford Street, Westminster, London, WC2E 9HP, United Kingdom
Below Stone Nest
Bar
136 Shaftesbury Avenue, Westminster, London, W1D 5EZ, United Kingdom
Opium Cocktail Bar - Soho
Bar
15-16 Gerrard Street, Westminster, London, W1D 6JE, United Kingdom
Roof East
Pub
7 & 8 Stratford Multi Storey Car Park, Great Eastern Rd, London E15 1XE, United Kingdom
Round Table
Pub
26-27 St. Martin's Lane, Westminster, London, WC2N 4AL, United Kingdom
Marquess of Anglesey
Pub
39 Bow Street, Westminster, London, WC2E 7AU, United Kingdom
Reverend J W Simpson
Bar
W1T 2QJ, London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom
The Luggage Room
Bar
Grosvenor Sq, London W1K 6JP, United Kingdom
BrewDog Seven Dials
Wine bar
142 Shaftesbury Avenue, Camden, London, WC2H 8HJ, United Kingdom
Ten
Bar
The Queen's Walk, London SE1 8XX, United Kingdom
Going out in central London — the basics
Where should I go for a night out in central London?
Soho — particularly Old Compton Street, Dean Street and Berwick Street — is the heart of a central London night out. Covent Garden and Seven Dials suit earlier drinks, and Fitzrovia is a good alternative when Soho is full.
How late do bars in central London stay open?
Most central London bars close between midnight and 3am, with licensing tighter than in east London. Chinatown stays open latest for food, and the Night Tube runs on Friday and Saturday nights.
How do I know which Soho bars are busy?
Realtime maps live activity from venues across Soho and the West End, so you can see where people are before you walk over. It is free on iOS and Android.
