After a long week of work, who doesn’t want a good night out with friends? My friends and I sure do. We make it a point to meet up at least once a week—sometimes somewhere chill, sometimes somewhere filled with fun vibes.
At first, it was just about seeing each other and touching base. But once we started hitting bars with live music, everything changed. It’s just more fun to hang out with background tunes, whether it’s something mellow or something upbeat.
Through the years, we’ve visited countless live music bars in London. Many of them gave us nights to remember and stories to chat about when we’re back at our offices.
In this blog, I’m sharing some of the best bars with live music that we’ve visited and didn’t regret doing so. Check them out if you’ve run out of hangout places!
1. Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club
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Website: https://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/
Address: 47 Frith St
Contact Details: +44 20 7439 0747 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday and Tuesday – 5:30 PM to 11 PM
- Wednesday to Saturday – 5:30 PM to 3 AM
- Sunday – 12 PM to 4 PM and 6:30 PM to 11 PM
Pricing: £
For those who love listening to jazz, I highly recommend Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. The musicians here usually play smooth jazz, a relaxing tune that can put you in a good mood.
Aside from jazz, you’ll hear other music genres here as well, such as classical and blues. It adds an element of surprise because you don’t know what kind of music you’ll vibe to when you visit.
Of course, going to a club isn’t complete without a drink. Don’t worry, they’ve got plenty. It would be impossible not to have something cold in the palm of your hand when you get hold of their 14-page drinks menu.
Pro Tip:
For early birds, try something on their brunch menu! Arrive as early as possible for a great seat, as they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis. However, you can buy priority seating to be in the front row.
2. Scarfes Bar
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Website: https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/london/dining/scarfes-bar
Address: Rosewood London, 252 High Holborn
Contact Details: +44 20 3747 8670 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 5 PM to 12 AM
Pricing: £
Scarfes Bar features live jazz performances throughout the night in a sophisticated setting. Situated in the Rosewood Hotel, the bar has a luxurious vibe that hardworking people like us deserve once in a while.
My friends and I love the seats near the fireplace, so we try to visit as early as we can, since they have no reservation policy. Believe me, the combination of the bar’s atmosphere, the relaxing music, and the heat from the fireplace is rewarding.
They also have lots of creative cocktails to choose from. As a chocolate wine lover, I often order Free Falling. It contains porcini sherry and Glen Grant whisky aside from the wine.
Pro Tip:
Live jazz performances begin around 8 PM during weekdays and Saturdays, and around 7 PM every Sunday.
3. The Shacklewell Arms
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Website: https://www.shacklewellarms.com/
Address: 71 Shacklewell Ln
Contact Details: +44 20 7249 0810 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 5 PM to 12 AM
- Friday and Saturday – 5 PM to 3 AM
- Sunday – 3 PM to 11 PM
Pricing: £
From the surface, you’ll see The Shacklewell Arms as a simple pub to hang out with friends. But when the night comes, it becomes a lively place, thanks to the rock bands that ignite the crowd.
What I love here is that most performers are independent artists. They’re not associated with any music label, making their sound extremely unique and uncompromising. They DIY their projects by mixing, arranging, and distributing them by themselves.
What’s even better is that some artists perform for free, especially first-time performers at the bar. Because of this, I see this bar as the place to visit if you want to discover new or emerging artists.
Pro Tip:
Browse their online merch shop and see if you’ll find something you’d like. For paid band performances, you can buy tickets through their ticketing partners DICE and Gigantic Tickets.
4. The Troubadour
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Website: https://www.troubadourlondon.com/
Address: 265-267 Old Brompton Rd
Contact Details: +44 20 7341 6333 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday – 5 PM to 12 AM
- Tuesday and Wednesday – 12 PM to 12 AM
- Thursday – 12 PM to 2 AM
- Friday and Saturday – 10 AM to 2 AM
- Sunday – 10 AM to 12 AM
Pricing: £
The Troubadour is a long-standing bar and restaurant where iconic artists like Jimi Hendrix, Elton John, and Bob Dylan graced its stage. Until now, they’ve been inviting famous artists around the world to make their guests’ stay memorable.
The usual music genres you’ll enjoy here are calming and soothing folk and jazz. The music serves as the perfect background noise while we’re having a get-together.
But above all, what I love most is the spot’s historic atmosphere. There are things shelved on its walls that have been there for over five decades. You might see some that you’ve never seen in your whole life!
Pro Tip:
Aside from live music, the place also showcases live DJ performances. They also have a cosy garden that is open until 11 PM.
5. The Piano Works – Farringdon
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Website: https://www.pianoworks.bar/bars/farringdon
Address: 113-117 Farringdon Rd
Contact Details: +44 20 7278 1966 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Thursday – 5 PM to 1 AM
- Friday – 5 PM to 2 AM
- Saturday – 12:30 PM to 2 AM
Pricing: £
If you want an interactive live music experience, The Piano Works is the place to be. Why interactive? It’s because musicians here play songs requested by the guests. You can hear all your current playlist here if you’re that eager.
But before their musicians take over the night, their singing waiters would be the first ones to make you feel good. My crew and I were all surprised the first time we visited here.
Once their house band is finished performing, their house DJ will take over to entertain the crowd until closing time.
Pro Tip:
Visit before 7:30 PM or after 10:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays to avoid long queues. For those who want to get a bit wasted before partying, their happy hour times run from 5 PM to 7 PM every day.
6. Ain’t Nothin’ But…
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Website: https://www.aintnothinbut.co.uk/
Address: 20 Kingly St, Carnaby
Contact Details: +44 20 7287 0514 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday and Tuesday – 5 PM to 1 AM
- Wednesday and Thursday – 1 PM to 1 AM
- Friday and Saturday – 1 PM to 2 AM
- Sunday – 1 PM to 11:30 PM
Pricing: £
Ain’t Nothin’ But is a blues club in Soho where you can vibe to live acoustic performances all day and all night. I highly recommend this club to people with old souls who deeply appreciate older music.
We prefer to visit here every Monday and Sunday because they organise jam sessions on those days. My friends bring their guitars and let their voices be heard once the drink kicks in.
The club has a lively atmosphere due to the regulars who seem to know each other. What’s great is that they’re not closing their doors on new visitors.
Pro Tip:
Visit during the evening if you prefer to listen to a full band rather than an acoustic set. The bar is small, so expect to be physically close to the stage and other guests.
7. Old Street Records
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Website: https://www.oldstreetrecords.com/
Address: 350-356 Old St
Contact Details: +44 20 3006 5911 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Wednesday – 5 PM to 1 AM
- Thursday and Friday – 5 PM to 2 AM
- Saturday – 2 PM to 2 AM
Pricing: £
We love going to Old Street Records because of the range of music we experience here in just one night. There are R&B, rock, and even hip-hop performers.
The bar has two venues, the ground floor and the basement. The ground floor is where live music happens. It’s impossible not to move your feet when the performers begin to play their floor-fillers.
The basement is where the DJ turns up the crowd with their dance tracks. With two venues aiming to make people sweat, I advise bringing a lot of energy when you visit.
Pro Tip:
They have a cocktail happy hour from 5 PM to 8 PM every day. They charge £10 per head after 9 PM every Friday and £10 after 8 PM, or £15 after 11 PM every Saturday.
8. Jumbi
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Website: https://www.jumbipeckham.com/
Address: Unit 4.1, Copeland Park, 133 Copeland Rd
Contact Details: [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Thursday – 12 PM to 12 AM
- Friday and Saturday – 12 PM to 2 AM
- Sunday – 12 PM to 11 PM
Pricing: £
Known for featuring emerging DJs and high-quality audio reproduction, Jumbi is the place to have fun with friends and even strangers. You would be so physically close to other people that you would not have a choice but to socialise.
Aside from live DJs, they also have a collection of vinyl that people love. Sometimes, they combine sets from vinyl records and DJs to give guests a unique listening experience.
When it comes to food, they serve African-Caribbean dishes. I love feasting on their plantain nachos because of their crispy chips and the sweet and spicy taste.
Pro Tip:
They have a door charge after 10 PM every Friday and Saturday.
9. The Piano Bar Soho
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Website: https://info.soho.live/pianobarsoho
Address: 16 Carlisle St
Contact Details: and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Thursday to Saturday – 5:30 PM to 11:30 PM
Pricing: £
I love the intimate atmosphere The Piano Bar has, as it allows me to relax while touching base with my friends. To be honest, I can stay here all night because of its comfy vibes.
What makes the bar more relaxing is the soothing live jazz performances from seasoned musicians. Watching passionate pianists pour their hearts out on every performance is more than enough to make your stay fun.
For drinks, I suggest trying their smoked old-fashioned. It’s my personal favourite because it has a balance of smoky, sweet, and bitter tastes.
Pro Tip:
Remember that they are very strict when it comes to their smart casual dress code. Consider getting a membership for up to 50% off on tickets and walk-in privileges at their cocktail lounge.
10. Village Underground
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Website: https://villageunderground.co.uk/
Address: 54 Holywell Ln
Contact Details: [email protected]
Pricing: £
I highly recommend Village Underground for those who want to party in an unusual space. This hub is formed by placing repurposed tube carriages and shipping containers on top of an abandoned warehouse. It’s a sight to see!
We love being here because of the performances of underground artists from mostly unpopular genres. In fact, this is the place where I first saw a shoegaze performance (it’s wild!).
Once in a while, they invite DJs instead of musicians to entertain the crowd. If you guys visit and there’s a live DJ performance, consider yourselves lucky.
Pro Tip:
They have a cloakroom where you can leave your coats and bags. You need to pay £3.50 for clothes and £4 for bags.
