London's Best Live Music Pubs

One of London's longest-running live music venues, hosting shows almost every night since the early 1960s. Past performers include U2 (their first UK sellout gig), The Rolling Stones, The Who, and Kate Bush's first public show. A proper pub by the river in Putney with fresh seasonal food.

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Temporarily closed for refurbishment (Jan 2026), reopening spring 2026. Live music every night. Short walk from Putney Bridge and Putney overground station. Table booking and tickets via website.

A Camden institution and launching pad for Britpop and indie musicians since the 1970s. Madness were regulars here, and the Libertines used to host Tuesday jam nights. An unpretentious boozer with a legendary jukebox and a packed nightly lineup of indie and alt-rock.

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Tuesday jam nights. Cheap drinks before 6pm. Live music most nights. Near Camden Town tube.

A Shoreditch institution where Amy Winehouse, Arctic Monkeys, and Florence & The Machine all played early gigs. By day it's a classic East End boozer; by night the upstairs venue hosts grassroots music events. Free gigs most nights, with club nights on Fridays until 3am.

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Free entry for most gigs. Happy hour weekdays 1-5pm. Open until 3am Fri/Sat. Proudly independent since 2021.

One of London's most legendary punk and post-punk venues. Stiff Records was founded here, and Joy Division, The Clash, The Cure, U2, The Police, The Stranglers, and Madness all played the intimate 80-capacity basement. Recently refurbished with a new PA system and enlarged stage.

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Grade II listed building. Basement venue capacity ~80. Full backline provided. Cask ales upstairs. On Islington's Upper Street.

A rock'n'roll pub and 200-capacity venue on Pentonville Road, halfway between King's Cross and Angel. Upstairs hosts live bands and weekly indie club nights; downstairs is a bourbon-focused bar with American craft beer. Known for its shabby-chic atmosphere and eclectic programming.

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200-capacity upstairs venue. Huge bourbon and American craft beer selection. Swing dance classes on Sundays. Award-winning food.

A beloved Bethnal Green pub tucked away off Hackney Road, with a dedicated basement stage hosting live music almost every night. Launched the careers of Charli XCX, Catfish and the Bottlemen, The Vaccines, and Courtney Barnett. Also has pub quizzes, karaoke, pool, and quality food.

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Free gigs daily. Mon-Fri 5pm-10pm, Sat 1pm-10pm, Sun noon-7pm. Pool, quizzes, karaoke. Table booking available.

Nicknamed the 'suburban Ronnie Scott's', this Barnes pub has been hosting live jazz since the 1950s — nearly 60 years of continuous programming. Overlooking the Thames with a warm pub atmosphere, a dedicated music room with excellent acoustics, and a proper restaurant.

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Jazz every night. Overlooks the Thames. Dedicated music room with excellent sound. Near Barnes Bridge station.

A genuine Victorian pub in Dalston with a stunning 1950s-era island bar and a live music room that's been at the centre of the London scene since the 80s. Relaunched in 2015 with top promoters including Bird On The Wire and Eat Your Own Ears, it's one of East London's best spots for catching emerging talent.

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Live music and club nights. Booked by top promoters. Near Dalston Junction station.

A cosy Dalston pub with a back room that has become one of East London's best small venues. Past performers include King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, HAIM, Solange, and Vance Joy — all before they blew up. Great for discovering the next big thing in indie and alternative music.

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Intimate back-room venue. Indie and alternative focus. Mon-Thu 5pm-12am, Fri-Sat 5pm-3am, Sun 3pm-11pm. Near Dalston Kingsland station.

A friendly New Cross pub with a creative edge and a hidden 300-capacity venue hosting everything from secret gigs and cabaret to comedy, film screenings, and theatre. Open until 3am on weekends with student-friendly pricing — a real South London gem.

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300-capacity venue. Open until 3am weekends. Student-friendly prices. Near New Cross Gate station.

A beautifully refurbished 1931 venue in Balham, combining gastropub dining with one of South London's best live entertainment programmes. Hosts live music, comedy, and even pro wrestling in its ornate main room. The grand interior feels like a hidden ballroom.

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Live music Tue-Thu from 8pm (free, ticketed for seats). Comedy and wrestling. Gastropub food. Near Balham tube and rail.

Lewisham's favourite boozer for live music, with a packed weekly programme spanning reggae, swing, blues, punk, ska, dub, and drum & bass. Features a spacious rear garden with a 1950s railway carriage, and The Firkin Brewery has begun brewing on-site again.

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Reggae Jam Mon, live swing Tue, open mic Wed, live bands & DJs Fri/Sat. On-site brewery. Beer garden with 1950s railway carriage. Near Lewisham station.

A staple of the Hoxton live music and arts scene for over 100 years. The ground floor is a lively pub now serving Portuguese-inspired small plates; upstairs hosts an eclectic mix of live bands, DJs, club nights, comedy, and art events. One of the last true independent venues in increasingly polished Shoreditch.

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Live bands, DJs, comedy, art events. Portuguese-inspired gastropub food. Independent venue. Near Old Street and Hoxton stations.

A characterful Southwark pub near Borough station with live music every Thursday and Friday, plus traditional Irish sessions on Sundays. Independently run by True Pub Co since 2023, with Lebanese cuisine, a cosy beer garden, and a welcoming neighbourhood feel.

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Live music Thu/Fri, trad Irish sessions Sun. Lebanese food. Beer garden. Refurbished 2023. Near Borough and Elephant & Castle tubes.

A 350-capacity venue and backpackers' hostel that's become the spiritual home of South London's live music underground. Shows almost every night with bands from across genres. Open until 3am and unapologetically loud.

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350-capacity. Open until 3am. Live shows 7 nights a week. Also a backpackers' hostel. Pizzas available. 14+ venue. Near New Cross station.

A Stoke Newington pub dating from the 1600s with a downstairs venue called 'The Waiting Room' that champions grassroots artists. Features live world music during the week and electronic sets on Friday and Saturday nights. A proper neighbourhood pub with centuries of history.

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Downstairs venue 'The Waiting Room'. Live world music midweek, electronic Fri/Sat. Historic building from 1600s. Near Stoke Newington rail.

A true East Dulwich institution on the corner of Lordship Lane and Goose Green, with a dedicated music venue featuring its own bar and cabaret-style layout. Hosts world-class jazz on the first Wednesday of every month, plus regular live bands and entertainment throughout the year.

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Jazz first Wednesday of each month (jazzattheedt.com). Cabaret-style music venue with own bar. Near East Dulwich station.

A traditional Irish singing pub near Waterloo, named after the formidable Molly McElhinney. Excellent live musicians play Thursday through Saturday from 7pm, with private karaoke rooms, an Irish bottomless brunch, and tasty Thai food. A proper craic-filled boozer.

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Live music Thu-Sat from 7pm. Private karaoke rooms. Thai food. Irish bottomless brunch Sat + monthly Sun. Near Waterloo and Southwark tubes.

An independent family-run Irish pub in Nunhead with a genuinely warm atmosphere and a regular programme of live music, from trad Irish sessions to local bands. Features a fairy-lit beer garden, Thai restaurant, karaoke nights, and free Monday jam sessions.

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Free Monday jam sessions. Thai restaurant on-site. Fairy-lit beer garden. Karaoke and quizzes. Near Nunhead station.

A cool Clerkenwell pub named after the film 'An American Werewolf in London', with a basement gig space that champions emerging musical talent. Upstairs is all craft beer, burgers, and fish & chips; downstairs gets loud with live bands and comedy.

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Basement venue for emerging talent. Craft beer and cocktails. Near Barbican and Farringdon stations.