You certainly don’t need us piping up to tell you that boozing in London rarely comes in at the budget-friendly end of things. If you’ve ever found yourself at the bar, grimacing as you tap your card for the third time, losing the last of your hard-earned coins to a watered-down pint, this list is dedicated to you. We’ve been busy tracking down the best places to get cheap drinks in London, from budget cocktails to banging happy hours, and we’d love to get you involved.
Last edited by Kiera Chapman
Last updated on 8th July 2024
Dirty Martini's collection of cocktail bars offers a stylish and chic option to get stuck into some serious cocktails. Pick out your most convenient basement haunt and revel in a sophisticated ambience without emptying your pockets, as happy hours run Monday to Wednesday.
Did someone say £2.50 beers, bottles of wine for a tenner and signature teapot cocktails for just £15 a go? Meet Simmons and their extensive happy hour. Aside from offering superb value, this is also a super-kitsch, super-cute spot to kick back and relax, too. With venues across the capital, all you have to do is find your nearest one.
For a slice of Scandinavia without the extortionate prices, get down to Nordic Bar in Fitzrovia. This Central London bar offers a wide selection of traditional drinks without the price tag. Happy hour here involves two cocktails for £12, draught house pints for £4 and a bucket of Sol beers for £10.
£2 pints of excellent quality beer - yep, you heard that right as Tank & Paddle host a range of deals throughout the week. The venue serves Meantime beer fresh from their tanks, there's a huge range of craft bottles and cans, and prosecco starts from £5.50.
Thirst, a highly recommended Soho bar, offers up a relaxing home to sip on cocktails during its 'stupid hour' from 4pm 'til 6pm Monday to Friday and only 'til 5pm on Saturdays, with great half-price drink deals on the impressive cocktail list. From your all-time favourites to funky concoctions that are yet to pass those lips, tuck into fruity flavours and smoky scents alike.
This late-night party hub in the centre of town is not only a great place to get down to the latest chart bangers until the early morning, it's also a great place for your bank balance. Enjoy Bar Rumba's daily happy hour deals that run until midnight with 50% off drinks.
Don't listen to the nay-sayers, a cheap night out in Covent Garden is possible if you're planning on partying at with the folks at Be At One. Located a stone's throw from the piazza, as well as boasting other venues across London, this atmospheric basement bar offers 2-4-1 drink deals every day apart from Saturdays, alongside an infectious feel-good atmosphere.
We'd heartily recommend checking out this Latina party den anyway, but their XXX-tra Spicy happy hour deals make it impossible to overlook if you're hoping for a night out that doesn't break the bank. Running throughout the week from Sunday to Friday 'til 7pm, get your thirsty lips around two for £12 cocktails, £3 tequila shots and £4 bottles of Madri.
This Fitzrovia boozer has seen the likes of Dylan Thomas, George Orwell and Quentin Crisp through its doors. With a charming interior, central location and an incredible selection of reasonably priced food and drink, The Wheatsheaf is perfect for a West End tipple.
Head to Lost Souls Pizza on a Wednesday for 2 for 1 pizzas and happy hour all night long. However, to get the deal, you'll need to find the secret password on their Instagram page and whisper it to your server - it changes every week, shushhh.
When you're looking for cheap drinks in London, you can't go wrong with an Irish bar. Specifically, you can't go wrong with McGettigans, who offer up a delicious array of Irish drinks and food for cheap prices. And while you're there, why not catch a game on the screens, or maybe some live music?
When it comes to booze deals, you can always rely on Ballie Ballerson in Shoreditch. Located on Curtain Road, this top-notch venue has wallet-friendly deals on Tuesdays. Think 2 for 1 on cocktails (including nostalgic serves) and tasty slices of pizza.
Always great for a night on the town in Covent Garden, Blame Gloria is fun, buzzing and most importantly... pocket friendly. With drinks deals that vary throughout the week, you'll always be able to find something affordable if you're having to budget.
Over at Four Quarters Peckham, you can enjoy purse-friendly prices, with two for £15 on house creation cocktails and £8 doubles all day, every day. While you sip your tasty drinks, play a range of retro arcade games from the 70s all the way to the 2000s.
When it comes to wallet-friendly pints, cocktails and other concoctions, Queen's Head Hammersmith is a firm choice. Venture inside this dog-friendly joint, where you'll be met with traditional rustic interiors, plenty of cosy corners and an epic beer garden to enjoy your drinks.
Not only does Laki Kane offer amazing bottomless brunch deals, but their happy hour is also something to cheer about. Every Monday to Thursday you can grab £10 cocktails all night. So, get down to this vibrant, tropical bar fast to snap up some seriously tasty sips. What a steal.
On Mondays to Fridays, between 3pm and 5pm, Ping Pong is where you want to be, as the eatery is offering up half-price drinks and dim sum. You'll be tucking into selected cocktails and dishes from an expansive menu for an affordable, tasty meal.
FAM Bar is treating cocktail fanatics to a happy hour every day of the week at its best-loved venue. Head to this Duke Street location between 4pm and 6pm for £8 cocktails, £4 draught beer, £20 bottles of wine, plus £8 double house spirits and mixers. Sign us up.
If you're looking for a good beer selection, The Old Blue Last on Great Eastern Street is where it's at. Walk past the grand exterior, and you'll find a bar stocked with premium lagers and a massive selection of American craft ales. But that's not all - the venue also puts on free gigs upstairs throughout the week, featuring some pretty big names like the Arctic Monkeys, Amy Winehouse and Florence + The Machine.
Known for throwing some of the best student nights in London, Hashtag Parties are bringing you evenings dedicated to chatting, dancing and cheap drinks. Taking over some of the capital's most iconic clubbing spots, they're making sure your post-lockdown antics stay affordable.
Pinching the pennies? Aren't we all. But if you're looking for a boozer to have a bargain bev, we know just the place. The Castle Farringdon boasts cool yet cosy decor, as well as an ample selection of wines, beers and cocktails for your drinking pleasure.
You can't say fairer than Zebrano's 'zappy hour' discounts. They're in the business of slashing the prices of their cocktails to £5.50 and bringing selected beers and wines to the counter for just £3.50 a go. For Soho, these prices are pretty much peerless. Best of all? Happy hours run every day of the week.
If you need a pick-me-up, this is just the bar for you. Enjoy cheap drinks at Exhibit as they're offering a 2-4-1 cocktail special every day from 4pm 'til 7pm, plus there are regular bottomless brunches, surf 'n' turf meal deals and plenty more to explore throughout the week.
Putney's three-floored cocktail joint Tequila Mockingbird serves up bargain bevs every night of the week. Head down and enjoy the likes of 2-4-1 cocktails and £3.50 bottles of beer from opening 'til 9pm every Sunday to Friday. They've also got a spot in Wimbledon that promises equally great drinks deals along with DJ sets come the weekend.
Head down to Patch St. Paul's Monday to Friday between 4pm and 7pm to take advantage of the spectacular happy hour specials. There's great deals to be had on cocktails, wines, prosecco, beers and platters - our favourites are 50% off all bottles of wine, spirits, 2-4-1 cocktails, as well as a bucket of 6 beers for £20.
Fancy a few drinks without breaking the bank? Don't we all? Enjoy getting stuck into your favourite beer, cider, spirits, cocktails and wine for just £4, every Monday to Friday from 5pm to 8pm. Hit the dancefloor and marvel at the fact you've just bagged one of the best drink deals in London.
SW16 Bar & Kitchen in Streatham offers 2 for 1 cocktails from 5pm to 7pm every day. That means cantaloupe sours, margaritas and passionfruit martinis to wash down a menu of handcrafted pasta or burrata.
Located on the ever-popular Henrietta Street, Mrs Riot is a fabulously vibrant, quirky place to wet your whistle. Even better? It hosts a happy hour four days a week, with 2-4-1 cocktails available between 4pm and 6pm, Tuesday to Friday.
The Cocktail Club boasts cool, quirky bars all across London. Head on over for a wild night out in unique surrounds, sipping an epic lineup of cocktails. They also hold regular happy hours, with 2-4-1 offers on all drinks every day between 4pm and 7pm.
As one of South London's most popular live music venues, the Clapham Grand is well-known on the city's nightlife scene for its fun-loving vibes and opulent decor. To sweeten the deal, guests can enjoy great deals on drinks all night long, and free bubbly if your birthday lands on a Saturday.
