London Bar Games: Best Pub Games and Where to Play Them

When you think of London bar games, interactive, social activities played in pubs and bars that turn casual drinks into memorable nights. Also known as pub games, they’re not just about throwing darts—they’re about connection, competition, and local culture. Forget quiet cocktails. In London, some of the best nights start with a dice roll, a shuffleboard puck, or a beer-tossed ring landing perfectly on a bottle.

These aren’t your average after-work hangouts. Pub games, traditional pastimes like darts, skittles, and quoits with deep roots in British social life have evolved into high-energy experiences. Places like The Ten Bells in Spitalfields or The Lock Tavern in Camden don’t just serve drinks—they host weekly tournaments, trivia nights, and giant Jenga battles. You’ll find bar game venues, spaces designed specifically for group play with dedicated tables, scoreboards, and staff who know the rules tucked into alleyways and converted warehouses. These spots attract locals who treat game nights like weekend rituals, not just random stops.

What makes these games stick? It’s the mix of nostalgia and novelty. One night you’re playing beer pong with strangers who become friends; the next, you’re trying to win a free round by hitting the bullseye on a 100-year-old dartboard. Some bars even bring in live DJs or themed nights—think retro arcade nights or pub quiz championships with prizes bigger than your pint. You don’t need to be good to play. You just need to show up.

And it’s not just about the games themselves. It’s about the rhythm of the room—the cheers when someone nails a tricky shot, the groans when the dice roll wrong, the way a group of strangers suddenly becomes a team. These moments don’t happen in quiet lounges or fancy cocktail bars. They happen where the tables are sticky, the music’s loud, and the rules are made up as you go.

Below, you’ll find real picks from locals—hidden spots with the best dartboards, underground bars with board game nights, and places where the games are so good, people come back just to play. Whether you’re a tourist looking for something real or a Londoner tired of the same old pubs, these are the places where the night really begins.