Secret Bars in London

These bars are hard to find but that’s all part of the fun! Hidden doorways, unassuming bookcases, special knocks and passwords, you’ll have to use all your cunning to get to the good stuff. To help you out, Footprints have put together our list of the best secret bars in London…

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Top of our list of the best secret bars in London is The Blind Pig. Situated above Jason Atherton’s michelin-starred Social Eating house on Poland Street is a 1920s inspired speakeasy. It’s prohibition nickname provides a clue as to how to enter; look for the blindfolded pig knocker under the old optician sign and you’re in! The menu is witty, punny and playful: ‘Slap ‘n’ tickle’, ‘Robin Hood Quince of Thieves’, and ‘Dill or no Dill’ to name a few. The decor is wooden and weird, but somehow also cosy and inviting. The cocktails are served creatively, with great gusto and performance by the bar staff. It’s not cheap but its well worth it for the great atmosphere and the whacky experience.

6pm-midnight

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Hidden beside a bin on an unassuming street in Soho, Disrepute is a reclusive speakeasy. Technically Disrepute is a members-only bar but you can get in with a bit of confidence and negotiation at the door. We’d advise booking in advance, (perhaps adding a fake title to your name for extra credit). Once inside,  walk downstairs where coded cocktails and sumptuous settings delight the senses. A perfect last-of-the-night stop for intimate drinks and late night trysts, but not a bar to spend a whole night in.



5pm-3am

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Next on our list of best secret bars is Experimental Cocktail Club. You can easily miss the club’s battered door on Gerrard Street so keep your eyes peeled. The drinks are top notch and classy but not so experimental that they’re intimidating or difficult to drink (does anybody actually enjoy drinking out of a french horn?) Cosy and softly lit, its a great bet for date night!

6pm-3am

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Next on our list of the best secret bars in London is The Phoenix Artist Club. This place is constantly buzzing with cabaret, musical theatre and open mic nights. Membership is required to enter but the secret is that you can actually book in advance as a non-member. The bar is often filled with West End casts, darting their eyes towards the nonchalant directors chatting at the side of the room. A magical haunt for a lively date, its like stepping into a secret wonderland.

10:30pm-2:30am

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Cahoots is a vintage mock-tube station, set at the time of the Blitz. A cockney ticket inspector greets you as you enter the station. There’s a newspaper for a menu, snacks served in mess tins and cocktails served in tea cups. Everything is both quaint and surreal. Take a seat in a train carriage and take in the atmosphere. You can expect to see swing dancing and singing round the piano and they often have 40’s style bands come and play. Very silly and classically British, its a great haunt for friends from out of town.

1pm-3am

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The Vault is hidden behind a bookcase at the back of London’s oldest whiskey shop, Milroy’s. Push one of the books and the whole bookcase will swing open revealing an awesome little drinking den. It’s a no fuss interior, with wooden benches and bare brick walls but that’s all the better since it draws focus to the seriously good whiskey cocktails. If you’re lucky you’ll be served by the resident canine bartender Chester, who can be found curled up at the corner of the room (please note Chester does not actually serve you cocktails). Cool and unpretentious, this a great choice for date night.

6pm-midnight

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You can always explore more of Soho, on one our London walking tours! With a private walking tour of London we can make sure to cover the flashing lights and drama of this exotic area of London! More information about our private walking tours of London which can be tailored to your requirements, can be found here.

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