London's Top DJ Bars

An evolution of the clubbing concept, the capital is full of stylish and sexy DJ bars. For a chilled-out alternative to the full-on clubbing experience, try one of our Top 10 recommendations.

93 Feet East

150 Brick Lane, London, E1 6RU
93 Feet takes a simple DJ bar formula and applies it perfectly. The garden is enormous, the vibe deeply laid back and the music policy sheer eclectic excellence. It may be looking a little rough around the edges these days, but money saved on decor has been well spent on securing top line-ups. Everything always seems a bit half-hearted in the early part of the evening, but stick it out until the afternoon crowd have gone home, and it all kicks off. Two spartan rooms provide ample space for dancing, which is what everyone will be doing once the evening gets into gear.

Current events at 93 Feet East

Weird Science event Saturday 19th May
TIMES Saturday 19th May 2012 - 7pm-1am PRICING Free
DJs Jordan and Santero spin hip hop, house, indie and electro., plus Sheltered perform live.... More about this event

Xsara, Aphrodite And The Alphabet, Samantha Kate Sheppard, Listen Lisse, Alfa-D event Monday 21st May
TIMES Monday 21st May 2012 - 7.30pm-11pm PRICING Free
Alt pop with a twist of blues from the London-based singer-songwriter.... More about this event

Lilies On Mars, The Filthy Orphans, Veronika Vesper, Horacio Toulouse La Maga, The White Tops, The P event Tuesday 22nd May
TIMES Tuesday 22nd May 2012 - 6pm-11pm PRICING £5
London-based dream pop and shoegaze duo.... More about this event

Yngve & The Innocent, The Lucky Strikes, Indigo Earth, Phillious Williams event Wednesday 23rd May
TIMES Wednesday 23rd May 2012 - 7.30pm-11pm PRICING Free
Blues and folk by London-based singer-songwriter Yngve Wieland and band.... More about this event

Talkaoke event Thursday 24th May
TIMES Thursday 24th May 2012 - 7pm-11pm PRICING Free
A participant-led discussion.... More about this event

All events at 93 Feet East

Bar Rumba

36 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 7ER
Concealed in a particularly squalid and touristy corner of Piccadilly Circus is the bar that has kept the UK's Urban scene alive in the West End since the early 1990s. Thursday night's Movement has been the West End's biggest drum 'n' bass weekly for a full decade, and Tuesdays offer authentic reggaeton sounds straight off the plane from the barrio. The big boys come out on Friday and Saturday, and there are few major names in UK Urban who haven't played here, while live PAs from US stars are also a regular feature. In an area filled with cheap imitations, Bar Rumba is the genuine article.

Current events at Rumba

Big Night Out event Saturday 19th May
TIMES Saturday 19th May 2012 - 8pm-10pm PRICING phone for prices
Topical humour from Paul Thorne, plus Jeremy O'Donnell and MC Chris Gilbert.... More about this event

Construction Workers Night event running until Friday 25th May 2012
TIMES Friday 18th May and Friday 25th May 2012 PRICING Free in super hero outfit before 11pm
Resident DJs spin chart, pop, R&B and dance hits.... More about this event

Cops & Robbers Night event running until Saturday 26th May 2012
TIMES Saturday 19th May and Saturday 26th May 2012 - 9pm-3am PRICING phone for prices
Resident DJs spin chart, pop and R&B.... More about this event

Star Life!! event running until Sunday 27th May 2012
TIMES Sunday 20th May and Sunday 27th May 2012 - 10pm-3am PRICING £7 guestlist, £5 gents before 10.30pm, £5 guestlist, Free ladies before 10.30pm
Resident DJs spin chart, R&B and hip hop.... More about this event

Service Industry Night event running until Monday 28th May 2012
TIMES Monday 21st May and Monday 28th May 2012 - 9pm-3am PRICING £7, £5 before 12midnight, w/payslip Free before 12midnight
Colin Russell and Donald Sweeneey provide R&B, hip hop and chart.... More about this event

Funky Fresh event running until Tuesday 29th May 2012
TIMES Tuesday 22nd May and Tuesday 29th May 2012 - 10pm-3am PRICING phone for prices
Resident DJs spin dance, R&B and funk.... More about this event

All events at Rumba

The Big Chill House

257-259 Pentonville Road, London, N1 9NL
From the outside, the building looks spectacular, a floodlit white townhouse that puts the grimy environs of King's Cross to shame. The interior is equally shiny, with three floors of New York-ish glamour - lots of cosy nooks, low benches and a cream and grey colour scheme. Odd bits and pieces from the Big Chill Festival add a quirkiness that sets it apart from the run-of-the-mill style bars. It's also far enough away from Old Street that it has a certain identity of its own, attracting dedicated Big Chillers rather than passing trade. A comfy terrace adds to the summery vibe. The soundsystem is excellent, the cocktails are delicious, and (as you'd expect from owners who started out running festivals) the music policy is entertainingly quirky.

Current events at The Big Chill House

Big Chill Presents Nice Up! 9th Birthday event Saturday 19th May
TIMES Saturday 19th May 2012 - 9pm-4am PRICING phone for prices
Dub Pistols (DJ set), Serial Killaz, Tomb Crew, Mr Benn, Shepdog, Daddy Nature and SL1 mix breaks, jungle, drum'n'bass, reggae, dub and roots.... More about this event

Red Bull Music Academy Presents event Monday 21st May
TIMES Monday 21st May 2012 - 7pm-12midnight PRICING Free
DJ Martyn and Alterned Natives spin electro, dubstep and techno.... More about this event

Wonka-Vision event Friday 25th May
TIMES Friday 25th May 2012 - 8.30pm-2am PRICING phone for prices
Resident DJs play reggae, hip hop, garage and bass music.... More about this event

Saturday at The Big Chill House event Saturday 26th May
TIMES Saturday 26th May 2012 - 8.30pm-2am PRICING phone for prices
Mr Mafro spins hip hop and bass music.... More about this event

Caze Nove event Friday 1st June
TIMES Friday 1st June 2012 - 8.30pm-2am PRICING phone for prices
Resident DJs spin house, electro, funk and soul.... More about this event

All events at The Big Chill House

Boogaloo

312 Archway Road, London, N6 5AT
The Boogaloo has succeeded in breaking the all pervasive contemporary pub blueprint, fashioning a popular alternative with a great atmosphere - and not an inch of light pine to be seen! Inside it looks aged and comfortable with an inviting slightly living-room feel about it. Bar staff peer out from behind the rickety wooden bar over a mishmash of sofas, chandeliers and convenient pint-resting shelves. The centrepiece of the pub is its magnificent jukebox, home to over a hundred albums. Boogaloo has a strict policy of only stocking the machine with albums over ten years old (to make fully sure they stand the test of time). It's terrific to see the punters picking out their own soundtrack to the evening, rather than a set by yet another DJ Nobody. If you need a little guidance on what to put on, there's always the celebrity choice list, nominated by a different musical luminary each month. Shane McGowan, Bobby Gillespie and Badly Drawn Boy have all selected playlists in the past. In the evenings live bands and DJs take over, with different nights featuring jazz, rockabilly, country and folk, and punk. The best time for celebrity-spotting is their eye-wateringly difficult music quiz, which attracts a huge crowd of geeky indie band-members.

Current events at The Boogaloo

The Fix event Monday 28th May
TIMES Monday 28th May 2012 - 6pm-12midnight PRICING phone for prices
Indie-rock, pop and folk courtesy of resident DJs and live acts.... More about this event

Who Killed Bambi' event running until Tuesday 29th May 2012
TIMES Tuesday 22nd May and Tuesday 29th May 2012 - 6pm-12midnight PRICING Free
Music quiz show.... More about this event

All events at The Boogaloo

Cargo

83 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY
Cargo were the pioneers of the multi-tasking MDF concept (that's Music-Dance-Food, not cheap fibreboard) and boast one of the most imaginative live music line-ups in the capital. Fuel up with some of their lovely street food, wile away a summer afternoon in their courtyard and groove till the small hours under the refitted railway arches. The music policy covers the full spectrum of London's underground, with a focus on hip-hop, breakbeat and world music. There are also live tunes followed by top DJs most nights of the week.

Current events at Cargo

Bernhoft event Saturday 19th May
TIMES Saturday 19th May 2012 - 8pm PRICING adv £8
Contemporary soul and R&B from the Norwegian singer-songwriter and musician.... More about this event

Fridays at Cargo event running until Friday 25th May 2012
TIMES Friday 18th May and Friday 25th May 2012 - 8pm-3am PRICING £10, Free before 10pm
Resident DJ Shane Watcha spins house and techno.... More about this event

Sundays at Cargo event running until Sunday 27th May 2012
TIMES Sunday 20th May and Sunday 27th May 2012 PRICING Free
The resident DJ spins house and funk.... More about this event

Funday Monday event running until Monday 28th May 2012
TIMES Monday 21st May and Monday 28th May 2012 - 7pm-1am PRICING Free
DJ Jimbo Jangles plays house, dance, indie, pop, R&B and electro.... More about this event

Tuesdays at Cargo event running until Tuesday 29th May 2012
TIMES Tuesday 22nd May and Tuesday 29th May 2012 PRICING Free
Louise spins house and electronica.... More about this event

Wednesdays at Cargo event running until Wednesday 30th May 2012
TIMES Wednesday 23rd May and Wednesday 30th May 2012 PRICING Free
... More about this event

Thursdays at Cargo event running until Thursday 31st May 2012
TIMES Thursday 24th May and Thursday 31st May 2012 PRICING Free
Resident DJs play house, electro and dub.... More about this event

All events at Cargo

East Village

89 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3HX
Opened in 2007 by DJ/promoter Stuart Patterson, East Village reverses the Shoreditch trend towards drinking and socialising; by midnight, pretty much everyone in the club is on their feet and dancing. There's not really much choice, since the sound-system is stunning, and there's no corner of the club where you can get away from it. It's a smart space, with an underlit bar that stretches the length of the top floor, and a dressed-up crowd. Patterson is part of the Faith crew, who've been putting successful nights in other people's venues for the best part of a decade, and the music in his club is as good as you'd expect, with big name DJs almost every weekend.

Current events at East Village

Mimo event Saturday 19th May
TIMES Saturday 19th May 2012 - 9pm-3.30am PRICING £10, adv/NUS £6, £8 before 12midnight
DJs Giom, Asadinho, Chris Jones and Adam L mix house in the basement, while Kid Fiesta, Tafferelli, Sam Cherry and Youngie spin disco and electronica ... More about this event

Shiftless Shuffle event Sunday 20th May
TIMES Sunday 20th May 2012 - 2pm-7pm PRICING £5
DJs Perry De Boss Louis, Chewbacca and RA spin jazz, funk and Latin.... More about this event

Formula Records event Wednesday 23rd May
TIMES Wednesday 23rd May 2012 - 10pm-2am PRICING Free
House, funk and garage collide in the company of Champion b2b Funkstepz with Serious One, Sticky, Elijah & Skilliam and D.O.K..... More about this event

The Doctors Orders event Thursday 24th May
TIMES Thursday 24th May 2012 - 9pm-2am PRICING adv £10
Just Blaze, Spin Doctor and Chris P Cuts spin hip hop and house.... More about this event

Beat Players event Friday 25th May
TIMES Friday 25th May 2012 - 9pm-5am PRICING £15, adv £8 & £10
DJ Spen, Sy Sez, Neil Pierce and Ziggy Funk spin house in the basement, while Dr Bob Jones, Stephen Adams and Shaun Samuel play disco, soul, funk and ... More about this event

All events at East Village

Favela London

91-93 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3HZ
For the London incarnation of Favela (whose sister bar has been energising the Oberkampf district of Paris for a decade) they've stripped everything down to the bare boards to recreate the spirit of Brazil's shanty towns. Scarred discarded timber, battered old doors, scrawled graffiti and tatty religious icons have been slung together by someone with an eye for design. The soundtrack includes some great live bands and DJs who throw out the odd Brazilian-tinged remix or a classic samba record. Caiparinhas and Caiparoskas rule the roost, but they find space for other Latin blends like the Mojito and some supremely drinkable Argentine plonk. The overall effect leans far more towards Shoreditch than Sao Paulo, especially once you factor in the laughably fashion-concious crowd, but huge queues testify to the great party atmosphere inside.

More info: Favela London Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Ginglik

1 Shepherds Bush Green, London, W12 8PH
Ginglik is a club nestling under Shepherd's Bush Green, in a former public toilet. Supernaturally friendly staff, and the hard-to-spot entrance have given it a real local feel - and cheap membership ensures that many of the good-looking crowd are in every night, know each other, the musicians and the staff. It has a defiantly old skool appearance, with lots of UV art to remind people of the heyday of rave, but the entertainment is bang up to date. Ginglik plays host to comedy, live music, kung-fu and science fiction movie nights, and lots of excellent DJs.

Current events at Ginglik

Ginglik's 10th Birthday event Saturday 19th May
TIMES Sat 1pm-4am PRICING Free before 8pm, £8 (Advanced tickets after 8pm), £10 (on door)
Happy Birthday to Ginglik! The wonderfully unique underground club celebrates surviving 10 years with a delig... More about this event

Bushstock event Saturday 2nd June
TIMES Times vary PRICING £27.50
This nearly new one-day West London festival showcases some of the best up-and-coming talent from 'The Bush' and beyond. More about this event

Ginglik's 10th Birthday The Wonky Olympics event Saturday 19th May
TIMES Saturday 19th May 2012 - 8pm-4am PRICING £10, guests £8 before 8pm, mems Free
DJs Count Sizzle, Kone-R, Stayhome, The Evil Uncles, DJ C-Boogie and Martinez And Boom Boom Becker spin jazz, rhythm'n'blues, swing, soul, reggae an... More about this event

Forces Electric event Friday 25th May
TIMES Friday 25th May 2012 - 7pm-3am PRICING £8, £6 before 10pm
Octane, DLR, Es:tereo, Oliver Yorke and Candie spin dubstep, electro and drum'n'bass.... More about this event

Valentina Passoni, Tobias Miorin, Kieran Dougall, Sian Thomas event Friday 25th May
TIMES Friday 25th May 2012 - 7pm-10pm PRICING £6, mems Free
London-based jazz and soul singer.... More about this event

All events at Ginglik

Plan B

418 Brixton Road, London, SW9 7AY
What really makes Plan B stand out as a party venue is the crowd. Brixton is the capital of South London's nightlife, and this is its best DJ bar, with a friendly, open atmosphere and a hugely diverse set of regulars. The decor is DJ bar by numbers, all exposed pipework and polished woods, but it's a well-designed space, with seating round a cool sunken dancefloor and a great sound-system. Friday nights are hip-hop, soul, funk or reggae, while Saturdays offer harder dance sounds. There's something going on most nights of the week, as well, and entry is often free if you arrive early.

Current events at Plan B

Rebel Disko event running until Saturday 19th May 2012
TIMES Saturday 19th May 2012 - 10pm-5am PRICING Free
Resident DJs spin indie, rock and electro.... More about this event

House Huntah event Saturday 26th May
TIMES Saturday 26th May 2012 - 9pm-4am PRICING £10, concs £8
Neil Pierce spins house, Latin, samba, jazz and Gospel and Marcia Carr supplies funk, boogie, Detroit tech and broken beat.... More about this event

Throwbaak event Saturday 26th May
TIMES Saturday 26th May 2012 - 10pm-5am PRICING £10, £7 before 12midnight
DJ 279, Dave VJ, Rochelle, De Lori, Jnr Mac and Fat Freddie M spin 1970s and 1980s soul, funk and disco.... More about this event

The Doctor's Orders event Wednesday 30th May
TIMES Wednesday 30th May 2012 - 11pm-4am PRICING £12, adv £8
Ninth Wonder feat Rapsody live PA, Spin Doctor and Chris P Cuts supply reggae and dub at the UK premiere screening of documentary, The Wonder Year.... More about this event

Bump event Friday 1st June until Friday 29th June
TIMES 1st Jun, 8th Jun, 15th Jun, 22nd Jun and 29th Jun 2012 - 9pm-4am PRICING £8, Free before 10pm, £5 until 12 midnight
Resident DJs spin hip hop, funk, dancehall and dubstep.... More about this event

All events at Plan B

Plastic People

147 - 149 Curtain Road, EC2A 3QE
Plastic People boasts the best sound-system in Shoreditch. This friendly space serves up seriously fresh music to a loyal crowd. Their no-frills clubbing formula has won them a legion of devotees and provides a welcome contrast with many of the overly slick ditchland bars. This is one of the most musically diverse venues in town, and you'll hear any or all types of jazz, funk, house, latin, electro, Afro beats and hip-hop - depending on the night. The musical standards are consistently high, and the people often scarily fashionable, but there is nothing pretentious about the place and the crowd have come to get down.

Current events at Plastic People

Dollop Present event Saturday 19th May
TIMES Saturday 19th May 2012 - 10pm-3am PRICING phone for availabilty £8
Illum Sphere, Neon Jung and residents spin house, techno and electro, plus Lone and My Panda Shall Fly perform live.... More about this event

Huntleys & Palmers African Special event Friday 25th May
TIMES Friday 25th May 2012 - 10pm-3am PRICING £5 & £8
Auntie Flo, Miles Cleret and Okzharp spin Afrobeat, funk, soul and jazz.... More about this event

Floating Points event Saturday 26th May
TIMES Saturday 26th May 2012 - 10pm-4am PRICING adv £10
The London-based DJ spins jazz, house, funk and drum'n'bass.... More about this event

Saturday at Plastic People event Saturday 26th May
TIMES Saturday 26th May 2012 - 10pm-4am PRICING £10
Floating Points spins house, disco, electronica and dubstep.... More about this event

CDR event Sunday 10th June
TIMES Sunday 10th June 2012 - 7pm-11pm PRICING phone for prices
Tony Nwachukwu plays music submitted by aspiring producers.... More about this event

All events at Plastic People

T Bar

The Tea Building, 56 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6JJ
This swaggeringly cool dance music space is housed in a former tea warehouse, with no attempt made to disguise the space's industrial origins. A long bar has been set up (offering surprisingly good cocktails), and there are a few sofas and low tables by the walls, but mostly T Bar offers grimy bleak chic - something that helps it to be a bit less infested with suits from the City than other venues in the area. Free entry and an absolutely phenomenal music policy, focused on techno, and cutting-edge house ensure long queues on Friday and Saturday nights. It's a particular favourite with Sunday ravers as well.

More info: T Bar Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube