Skip to content
WATTB
WhatAreTheTop.Best
#1 in Best Cocktail Bars in London for 2026
Best overall (and best for a special occasion)WATTB87/100£££CocktailsNon-alcoholic options

The Connaught (Maybourne)Connaught Bar

Our verdict · The safest single choice for a celebration or date — white-glove Mayfair polish and the tableside Martini trolley — if you can accept walk-in-only entry and the highest prices here.

Go if

You want the single most impressive special-occasion bar in London and are happy to dress up, pay Mayfair prices and turn up early to get in.

Skip it if

You are on a budget, dislike formality, want to guarantee a table in advance, or are after live music.

Plan your visit

Connaught Bar

WATTB Score

87/ 100

Our research-based editorial assessment.

How we score →

From ~£28 a cocktail; signature Martini ~£34-37 (indicative, plus 12.5% service)

Indicative price at the time of review.

The Connaught Bar is the definitive dress-up London cocktail bar: World's No.1 in both 2020 and 2021 and still No.6 in 2025, led by Agostino Perrone and Giorgio Bargiani in a Cubist room by David Collins Studio. Its signature ritual is the Martini trolley wheeled to your table, where the bartender tailors the gin, shakes or stirs to preference and finishes with a choice of handmade bitters per guest — the most iconic single-cocktail ceremony of any pick here. It earns the top spot on occasion pedigree and service theatre as much as on its World No.6 ranking, the highest here: expect the highest bill of the group too. The catch is access — it runs a no-reservation, walk-in-only policy and fills fast, so arrive early evening.

The good & the bad

Pros

  • Twice a former World's No.1 (2020, 2021) and still No.6 in 2025 — unmatched special-occasion pedigree
  • The tableside Martini trolley is the most iconic cocktail ritual in London, tailored per guest
  • White-glove service and a genuinely glamorous David Collins-designed Mayfair room

Cons

  • The most expensive pick — cocktails ~£28-37 plus 12.5% service
  • Walk-in only with no reservations, so a seat at peak times is never guaranteed

How it compares

PickWATTB ScorePriceBest for
1.Connaught BarThis pick87/100From ~£28 a cocktail; signature Martini ~£34-37 (indicative, plus 12.5% service)overall (and best for a special occasion)
2.Satan's Whiskers87/100Mid-range (££) — no per-cocktail figure published; no cover charge or minimum spendclassic cocktails and value
3.Nightjar85/100£15pp per hour minimum spend, plus a live-music cover charge (amount not published) — indicativelive music and 1920s atmosphere
4.Scarfes Bar84/100Upscale hotel-bar pricing; no cover charge or minimum spend (indicative)a spontaneous, central smart drink
Swipe to compare

Good to know

4.6Google · 1,316 reviews
Address
The Connaught, 16 Carlos Pl, London W1K 2AL
Nearest station
Bond Street
Phone
+44 20 7314 3419
Price
From ~£28 a cocktail; signature Martini ~£34-37 (indicative, plus 12.5% service)
Ranking
World's 50 Best Bars 2025 No.6 (World No.1 in 2020 & 2021)
Signature
Tableside Martini trolley, tailored per guest
Booking
Walk-in only — no reservations
Location
Carlos Place, Mayfair (nearest Bond Street)

Opening hours

Monday
4:00 PM – 1:00 AM
Tuesday
4:00 PM – 1:00 AM
Wednesday
4:00 PM – 1:00 AM
Thursday
4:00 PM – 1:00 AM
Friday
4:00 PM – 1:00 AM
Saturday
4:00 PM – 1:00 AM
Sunday
Closed

Address, hours & rating verified via Google · Sept 2026

Researched by WATTB

Published
20 September 2026
Updated
20 September 2026
Last verified
20 September 2026
Sources
9 sources

We research and rank options from public data, official information and published reviews. How we research →

Keep comparing

More from The Best Cocktail Bars in London for 2026

← Back to the full ranking
Was this helpful?

Stay in the loop

A newsletter is on the way

Sign-ups aren't open yet — check back soon.