#3 in Best Cocktail Bars in London for 2026

Best for live music and 1920s atmosphereWATTB85/100£££CocktailsNon-alcoholic options

Nightjar (Shoreditch)Nightjar

Our verdict · The pick when the night is about atmosphere and live jazz you can book weeks ahead — worth the cover charge and minimum spend for the full 1920s experience.

Go if

You want a sit-down evening built around live jazz and theatrical cocktails, and you can book ahead and accept a minimum spend plus cover charge.

Skip it if

You want a spontaneous drop-in at peak times, a place to stand and mingle, or a night with no cover charge or minimum spend.

Plan your visit

Nightjar

WATTB Score

85/ 100

Our research-based editorial assessment.

How we score →

£15pp per hour minimum spend, plus a live-music cover charge (amount not published) — indicative

Indicative price at the time of review.

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Nightjar is the best pick for a live-music cocktail night: a candlelit, seated 1920s den with live jazz, swing and blues acts every night from 9pm and cocktails served with elaborate garnishes, some in tins. A long-running World's 50 Best Bars alumnus that peaked at No.2 in 2013 (and was still top-three in 2015) and a current Pinnacle Guide listee, it is a benchmark for theatrical, vintage-spirit drinks. It beats Scarfes below it on immersion and drink theatre, and its big practical advantage over the walk-in picks is certainty — tables are reservable up to 90 days ahead, though weekend live-music tables often go six or more weeks out. The trade-off is cost and rigidity: there is a £15 per person, per hour minimum spend plus a live-music cover charge (added to the bill and paid directly to the musicians; the amount is not published online), and it is seated, booking-required only.

The good & the bad

Pros

Live jazz, swing and blues nightly from 9pm in a full 1920s subterranean setting
Bookable up to 90 days ahead — removes the walk-in uncertainty of the picks above
Elaborate, theatrical vintage-spirit cocktails and a World's 50 Best pedigree

Cons

£15pp-per-hour minimum spend plus a live-music cover charge on top
Seated and booking-required only, with weekend tables often gone weeks ahead

How it compares

Pick	WATTB Score	Price	Best for
1.Connaught Bar	87/100	From ~£28 a cocktail; signature Martini ~£34-37 (indicative, plus 12.5% service)	overall (and best for a special occasion)
2.Satan's Whiskers	87/100	Mid-range (££) — no per-cocktail figure published; no cover charge or minimum spend	classic cocktails and value
3.NightjarThis pick	85/100	£15pp per hour minimum spend, plus a live-music cover charge (amount not published) — indicative	live music and 1920s atmosphere
4.Scarfes Bar	84/100	Upscale hotel-bar pricing; no cover charge or minimum spend (indicative)	a spontaneous, central smart drink

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Good to know

4.6 ★Google · 2,810 reviews££

Address: 129 City Rd, London EC1V 1JB
Nearest station: Old Street
Phone: +44 20 3345 5152
Price: £15pp per hour minimum spend, plus a live-music cover charge (amount not published) — indicative
Ranking: World's 50 Best alumnus (peaked No.2, 2013); Pinnacle Guide listee
Music: Live jazz, swing & blues nightly from 9pm
Booking: Reservation required; bookable up to 90 days ahead
Charges: £15pp/hour minimum spend + live-music cover charge (indicative)