There’s something undeniably charming about Vauxhall at night. The way the city lights bounce off the Thames, and, of course, the pubs that give the place its distinct character.
I still remember my first spontaneous night out here. It started with one drink and ended with a full-on pub crawl. I was dancing with strangers-turned-friends and having the best plate of chips I’ve ever had at 1 AM.
Since then, Vauxhall has become my go-to for an equally relaxed and rowdy night. If you’re looking for the perfect pint and good vibes, here are the best pubs in Vauxhall that will make your night.
How much does a visit to a pub cost in Vauxhall?
A visit to a pub in Vauxhall can cost anywhere from a few pounds for a pint of beer to £30 or more for a meal and drinks. The cost will depend on the specific pub, the type of drinks and food you order, and whether you choose to dine in or just have drinks at the pub.
How I chose the best pubs in Vauxhall
- Food quality: I decided to list pubs that get mostly favourable feedback about their food, especially its taste and serving amount. I also personally visited them to try the food.
- Customer service quality: I picked those with staff who know how to assist visitors properly and are always one call away when you need something.
- Value for money: All pubs on this list offer food and drinks that are reasonably priced. I compared the prices with other pubs and only picked those with prices that match the quality of food served.
- Drink choices: I selected the ones that offer either a wide range of beers or cocktails, as most of us go to pubs mainly to drink.
1. The Black Dog
Address: 112 Vauxhall Walk
Phone: +44 20 4572 3953
Business hours:
- Mon-Sat: 12 PM – 11 PM
- Sun: 12 PM – 10 PM
If you’re a Swiftie, you know this pub. To be honest, they made a store because Taylor Swift fans demanded it. They want souvenirs that they can brag to their friends as proof that they went to the pub that the world-famous singer referenced in one of her songs.
Swiftie aside, I love to relax at this pub’s terrace. It provides the relaxing atmosphere that I’m looking for after working the entire week.
When it comes to drinks, you will surely enjoy their great beer selection. I suggest trying Black Dog Stout, as it’s one of people’s favourites. It’s definitely a great beer to relax with in the evening.
For food, don’t miss feasting on one of their tapas. I highly recommend the tempura salt & pepper calamari. The authentic Japanese tempura paired with tasty squid is really a perfect match. The squid has a tender texture, making it very easy to chew..
However, since it became popular among Taylor Swift fans, it has noticeably become crowded on some occasions. It’s truly not relaxing when I visit here with a lot of people.
Chill vibe
“Yes, we originally visited as swiftie tourists, but the setting of this little bar in Vauxhall was a top tier experience! It was some of the best food and drink we had on our trip to London. I heard the staff talking about the chef creating a unique menu everyday. My husband had a cheeseburger while I had a chicken salad. It was not overly crowded on a Friday night, and while there were obviously other tourists there, the vibe was chill and not over-the-top. We were in the area to see The Crucible at The Globe Theatre afterwards, so we took about an hour to eat and take pictures outside. The location is not overly crowded and fairly clean for Central London! There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating here, and it is not nearly as cramped as many restaurants were throughout our visit.”
-Devin Jones, Google Review
The food was perfect
“The food was perfect, service was quick! The friendliness of the staff could be better. I don’t expect them to stay and have a chat, but everything is better with a smile, isn’t it? We went at opening time so it’s also not like they were already overwhelmed. In any case, other than that everything was perfect. Totally worth a visit to Vauxhall!”
-Carolinna NL, Google Review
2. White Swan
Address: 14 Vauxhall Bridge Rd
Phone: +44 20 7828 2000
Business hours:
- Mon-Fri: 11 AM – 11 PM
- Sat: 12 PM – 11 PM
- Sun: 12 PM – 10:30 PM
What I love about White Swan is that they’re a very family-friendly pub. Why? Because they have an all-encompassing menu.
They have a children’s menu, so your young ones will surely enjoy eating their fish and chips. As a matter of fact, that dish is one of their best sellers.
I appreciate their small plate offerings. This is a great option if you visit here alone or just with one companion. As a spicy food lover, I always go for their halloumi fries. It has a sweet chilli sauce ingredient that perfectly blends with garlic and parsley mayonnaise.
I also love that they have a live broadcast of football and other games on their widescreen TV. The energy during the FIFA World Cup was so high that it instantly boosted my mood.
Lastly, the icing on the cake is their all-day happy hour from Monday to Thursday. You can enjoy two cocktails for £16, making them an ideal spot for a whole day party with your crew.
My only concern is that they take a long time to serve my food sometimes. There was a time when the group beside my table got their order before me, when I was the one who ordered first.
The service was outstanding
“Well, on a busy Sunday afternoon the London Marathon, the service was outstanding. They all worked so hard, and were friendly going about it! The pub food was above average, with a pleasant presentation and all the good qualities. The pie sampler was a treat, with the steak and mash potato a cut above the chicken. Truffle fries were very tasty, and the sticky toffee pudding was amazing. Atmosphere is a pub which is what we were looking for. Great pub!”
-Michael Bosilovich, Google Review
Highly recommended
“Since this was Sunday dinner, you order at bar and delivered to table. Highly recommend the meat pies and pulled ales, need to come back for fish and chips. Demiglace on both pies was spot on. Vanilla custard just needed a little more bean and it would be perfect. Likewise, don’t expect an American apple pie, this is more like quince but didn’t have any nutmeg or cinnamon. Several television sfor sports but music mainly played in the restaurant and can be quite loud.”
-James N., Google Review
3. Mc & Sons
Address: 355 Kennington Ln
Phone: +44 20 4537 3851
Business hours:
- Mon-Tue: 12 PM – 11 PM
- Wed: 12 PM – 12 AM
- Thu-Fri: 12 PM – 1 AM
- Sat: 12 PM – 2 AM
- Sun: 12 PM – 12 AM
The first thing that me and other frequent visitors could tell you about Mc & Sons is that it has a great atmosphere. It has a positive and enjoyable mood that can make you stay until its closing time.
If you’re an old soul, you will enjoy the live traditional music they have every Saturday evening. Their resident band loves to sing Irish traditional music most of the time.
If you want to relax outdoors, they have a beer garden. It’s great to have a pint of beer here if you want some silence under the tree.
When it comes to food, I love their chef’s special, the tamarind duck. It’s a Thai dish that balances the richness of the duck with the sweet, sour, and spicy notes of the tamarind sauce. The good thing is that it’s served with cabbage and rice.
If you’re looking for a private space to hold corporate meetings or simply want to have more intimate moments with your friends, they have Berna’s room. It’s a bookable space upstairs that can accommodate up to 20 people, which is more than big enough.
However, I’ve heard some complaints here before that they close earlier than their official closing time. I can’t blame them for complaining, especially if they visit late and the pub closes early.
Food was amazing
“Mc & Sons Vauxhall hosted our Irish dancing group for our 5th birthday party! We had 70 people join. Cambridge the manager was so helpful and supportive from start to finish, as was Ryan, the beer garden is brilliant with lovely lighting, food was amazing and came out so fast, the irish band were amazing and played for over 6 hours! The atmosphere was brilliant we all had the best night. Definitely worth visiting if you’re looking for a great irish pub, a weekday cosy pint or a lively weekend night! Thank you so much! ☘️ 🎶”
-jessiemayleach, Google Review
The atmosphere is outstanding
“Another gem of a place to visit in London, Mc & Sons in Vauxhall is an authentic family run traditional old Irish pub. The atsphere is outstanding to say the least, with live music being played and everyone joining in – even some got up on to the mic. It is such an outstanding pub with old traditional values, combined with an authentic Thai kitchen for food. I love this place and along with all Mc and Sons bars around London – this has to be a place to visit and experience for yourself.”
-Garry Windle, Google Review
4. The Pilgrim Pub
Address: 247 Kennington Ln
Phone: +44 20 7582 7585
Business hours:
- Mon-Thu: 12 PM – 11 PM
- Fri-Sat: 12 PM – 1 AM
- Sun: 12 PM – 10:30 AM
At The Pilgrim Pub, you can show your talent after a couple of drinks at their open mic night. This lovely event happens once a month, so ask them for the exact date so you don’t miss it.
The relaxing patios at the front and back of the pub are the favourite spots of most visitors here. This is because it offers a peaceful vibe that most people want after getting off work on a Friday evening.
What’s great is that you can hang out at one of their patios with one of the drinks from their extensive selection. I always go for a bottle of house wine. After all, what’s a better drink than a wine if you want to chill?
If you want to make the most of your night, visit during happy hour, especially on Sundays when it runs the whole day. You can have two bottles of beer and shots of hard liquor for a discounted price.
I was only disappointed in the pub’s management because they canceled some bookings without a valid reason. My crew personally experienced this, and it’s really irritating, especially when you’re really in drinking mode that day.
This place is such a gem
“This place is such a gem! My fiancé and I felt like we got the real English pub experience. You order from a QR code and the bartenders will bring the food to you. We came on a Monday night around 7 pm and food was 50% off. They had a happy hour deal on drinks as well. We got a chicken apple salad, fish and chips, and bangers and mash for 20 pounds. Two draft beers (a Guinness and a pale ale) were 13 pounds. The bartenders also had great recommendations for beers and their tasting profile. What a steal! And the food was delicious too. It’s definitely a place where you get to be off on your own and have a conversation with your friends. The wait staff only come around to clean cups and plates from the inside and outdoor seating areas. It’s a great place to hang out to have a beer and chat with friends. The outside area also has a spot for you to play darts. Marking this place down as a favorite pub to watch sports, grab a drink and eat a quick dinner. Thanks for a great experience!”
-Yining Dai, Google Review
A lovely pub
“A lovely pub with charming front and back gardens. Popped in about an hour ago and tried a variety of wing flavours, spicy bean burger, cheddar chips. At just 50p per wing, they were absolutely delightful, buttery, tender, and full of flavour. The chilli honey ones were a particular standout.”
-Muhammad Sadi, Google Review
5. Brass Monkey
Address: 250 Vauxhall Bridge Rd
Phone: +44 20 7834 0553
Business hours:
- Mon-Tue: 4 PM – 11 PM
- Wed-Fri: 12 PM – 11 PM
- Sat: 12 PM – 11:30 PM
Visitors often praise Brass Monkey for having a very welcoming atmosphere. As I have visited this pub many times, I can attest to this.
I think one of the reasons people say it has a welcoming atmosphere is because of the friendly staff. They really have friendly bartenders who will love to hear your stories once you’re drunk.
When it comes to food, I love the selection of chicken they offer. I highly recommend their Korean kan poong chicken. It perfectly brings a balance of sweet, sour, and spicy flavours with crispy, lightly fried chicken.
Aside from chicken, they also have a great selection of ramen. You can eat pork, beef, or chicken ramen, which are all good. It will only boil down to what meat you prefer in your ramen.
That said, it’s upsetting that they don’t operate every Sunday. A lot of us typically schedule hangouts on weekends, so it would be great if they’re open.
The space was perfect
“I hosted a charity pub quiz in the Brass Monkey and it was a close to perfect evening; organising the event was a breeze, the space was perfect, and Anamaria and all the staff were so friendly and helpful, even helping me to clear up at the end of the event. The food was delicious and drinks reasonably priced; I honestly couldn’t fault anything about Brass Monkey and it’ll always be a special place for me now!”
-Jenna Chick, Google Review
Top quality service
“Top quality service, me and my partner were just traveling London for the day and found that Sides delivery was handled by brass monkey. We politely asked the guys at the bar if we can order and eat the food in the bar. They were happy to do so of course with a purchase from the bar itself. Not only did they help with the order but we’re more the happy to go the the kitchen staff and explain our order is from the kitchen to the bar, the kitchen staff and bar staff were perfect. The bar is lacking in appeal it really needs to have a modern update and maybe even a little change in the seating but I wouldn’t down mark the service because of furniture. Thanks”
-Dave H, Google Review
