The Best Activity Bars In London For Drinking, Dining & Doing

London Shuffle Club

If you’re searching for a unique spot to celebrate those big birthdays, work wins and everything in between, look no further than London Shuffle Club in the heart of Shoreditch. This is the OG home of shuffling, and the only UK venue to have both lane shuffle AND table shuffle under one roof.

Use a ‘tang’ (stick) to push ‘biscuits’ (discs, not custard creams) along the narrow lane to the scoring triangle at the other end. Make sure to stay out of the ‘kitchen’ though – that’ll get you a deduction of 10 points.

Fast-paced, fun, and guaranteed to bring out your competitive streak – it’s a good job there’s delicious sourdough pizzas and seasonal cocktails on hand for when all that shuffling has worked up an appetite.

Hijingo

Perfect for birthdays, hen and stag-dos, and weekend brunches, Hijingo isn’t your average bingo night. Going beyond the traditional, this multisensory experience features LED lighting, sonic effects and futuristic motion graphics for an unforgettable night, while prizes on offer, from cash jackpots to European getaways, add a healthy dose of competition.

There’s also delicious food to keep you going – think cauliflower wings, buttermilk chicken burgers, deep-fried sushi rolls, and grilled pork belly.

Oche

It’s rare you find an activity bar that nails it on both the activity, drinks AND the food, but Oche has taken things to the next level with London’s first gastro-gaming venue, combining the humble sport of darts with an incredible eight-course tasting menu that comes in at under £30 a head (yup – we’re not joking).

If you think it’s too good to be true, prepare to be impressed as you tuck into British oysters with yuzu and wasabi, a huge cheese and charcuterie board, spicy tuna cones, sliders – and that’s just half of it. An indulgent, moreish signature dessert rounds it off – chocolate mousse encased in a shell of hard chocolate served on a bed of coffee beans. There’s also a whole host of expertly made cocktails to raise a toast to the winner of your high-tech darts game. No need to do the work – the score is tracked automatically for you in real-time as you play the variety of different games on offer.

Puttshack

Putters at the ready! Whether it’s a date night, mate night, birthday party or work social, there’s nowhere better for a healthy dose of competition than Puttshack, the world’s first tech-infused mini-golf experience. The clever tech means your ball automatically records the scores, while the live leaderboard updates in real-time as you play (so there’ll be no subtly edging the ball into position here, thank you very much).

Each of Puttshack’s four locations is home to fairground and arcade game-themed courses, overlooked by an atmospheric bar serving delicious cocktails. Get signature mixes like their Appleteeni and Rum Espresso delivered straight to the course, or head to the bar post-putt for drinks and sharing plates.

I think it’s safe to say that when it comes to mini-golf, this activity bar has it down to a tee… (geddit?!)

Clays

The talk of the town in the city at the moment is Moorgate’s new neighbour. A gorgeous activity bar which takes the great British countryside and plonks it right in the heart of the city, Clays may be one of London’s coolest activity bars yet.

Home to the Olympic sport of clay target shooting (but with a virtual twist) it’s the perfect place for large groups of friends to come together and put their shooting skills to the test. Pre-order food and drinks for when you arrive or order straight from your peg (shooting booth) while you have a go at shooting real guns (don’t worry – they’re decommissioned!) for an authentic clay target shooting experience. With 4K screens, insanely good food and delicious cocktails, it’s the ideal spot to get competitive over some of the best drinks in town.

Bounce

Get ready to eat, drink, play and party at Bounce, the home of ping-pong. Gather round the table at their Farringdon or Old Street locations to play classic ping pong or Wonderball (a high-tech version of the classic game that’s played on interactive tables) to an epic selection of music from resident DJs.

When you’re all ping-ponged out, get stuck into beer pong, shuffleboard, or make your way through their ace cocktail menu. Plus, head there on a Saturday and Sunday and you’ll get bottomless beer, prosecco AND pizza for £35pp. See you there?!

Draughts

If, like us, you’re obsessed with board games (it’s Scrabble and Ticket To Ride for me!) then you’ll love Draughts, the board game cafés housed in Waterloo’s Leake Street Graffiti tunnel and Hackney.

Draughts have taken the wholesome hobby of board gaming to a whole new level, boasting the largest board game collection on display in the UK and pairing with craft beers, cocktails and food for hours of entertainment.

Grab a table with your closest pals and scour the library for your favourite games, or ask the knowledgeable staff to recommend a new game and teach your table how to play so you’re never at a loss for what to play next.

All Star Lanes

For the king of all bowling alleys, look to All Star Lanes for date nights, birthday bashes and endless hours of entertainment. Expect a sleeker version of your childhood birthday bowling memories with a sophisticated New York speakeasy vibe. This is the perfect place to regress back to your childhood – but this time, with a lot more booze.

On the foodie menu, you’ll find top-notch burgers and bites providing much-needed sustenance all day long. You come to All Start Lanes for the good times, but you stay for the grub.

Flight Club

Forget the pub – if there’s anywhere you should be playing darts, it’s at Flight Club. Blending beautiful décor with a fun-filled social darts experience, you can expect fabulous cocktails, mouth-watering menus, bottomless brunches, and a re-imagined version of the classic game. Expect a range of fast and exciting multi-player games, built to bring people together for hours of entertainment.

Step up to the throwline in your own semi-private oche (rhymes with ‘hockey’) playing area, or just pop in for a cocktail and some tasty sharing boards and watch the dart magic unfold.

Four Quarters Elephant Park

One of the best activity bars in London for a blast from the past, Four Quarters opened the doors to their newest Elephant & Castle site back in 2021 and is already a firm favourite with gamers. Expect to fall back in love with gaming and discover the nostalgic consoles you’ve long forgotten as this bar brings the likes of Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, Sega Ralley and Guitar Hero (remember Guitar Hero??) to South East London.

 With retro arcade games, neon colours and a big helping of nostalgia, it’s no wonder Four Quarters is every big kid’s favourite bar. 

Lucky Voice

Perfect for everything from birthdays and hen-dos to spontaneous afternoons (take it from someone who’s been there at noon post-bottomless brunch), Lucky Voice is home to the best private karaoke rooms in London.

An extensive library of songs will keep you singing all night (or in my case, day) long, and a handy ‘thirsty’ button means the drinks will come to you – so you never have to miss out on the action.

Birdies

If you’re looking for mini-golf with a challenge, then Birdies will put you to the ultimate test. Nestled under the arches of Battersea Power Station, each hole has been designed to derail your senses, testing your speed, accuracy and determination. To win, you’ll need to overcome immersive obstacles, solve surreal patterns and puzzles, and meander your way through their 9-hole crazy golf course.

And meanwhile, their cocktails are just as crazy. When you’re done taking on the course, wash down their mouth-watering Cheeky Burger menu with a Birdies Bellini, a Crystal Cuban or a Cadillac Margarita.

Axeperience London

Just an axe throw away from the Tower of London is Axeperience – where in specially dedicated cages, you’ll learn to axe throw like a pro. It’s great for dates, mates, and family fun, but we can’t think of anywhere better to let off some steam after a busy week at work. 

The experience comes with a dry cocktail bar offering a selection of non-alcoholic cocktails and booze-less blends (let’s face it – this isn’t the place for your throw to be a little wobbly!) which are just as delicious as their liquor-loaded counterparts.

So if you fancy trying your hand at something new and throwing an axe at a bullseye (let’s be honest, who wouldn’t?), get down to Axeperience and test your skills.