Old London Bars: Hidden Speakeasies, Historic Pubs, and Real Local Hangouts

When you think of old London bars, traditional drinking spots in London with deep historical roots and authentic character. Also known as historic London pubs, they’re not just places to grab a drink—they’re living rooms for the city’s soul. These aren’t the flashy, neon-lit clubs tourists flock to. These are the places where the wood floors creak with decades of footsteps, where the barman remembers your name even if you only come once a year, and where the air still smells like tobacco, malt, and old books.

Many of these bars date back to the 1700s or earlier, surviving wars, economic crashes, and waves of gentrification. You’ll find them tucked down alleyways near the Thames, hidden behind unmarked doors in Soho, or tucked into quiet corners of Clerkenwell. Some were once meeting spots for poets, revolutionaries, or dockworkers. Others were speakeasies during Prohibition-era influence, where secret knock codes and hidden rooms kept the drinks flowing. London speakeasies, hidden bars with clandestine entrances and intimate atmospheres, often disguised as ordinary shops or backrooms. Also known as secret bars, they’re a direct legacy of old London’s underground drinking culture. You won’t find them on Google Maps unless you know exactly where to look—and even then, you might need a local to point you there.

What makes these places special isn’t the cocktails (though some are excellent). It’s the rhythm. The way time slows down. The way strangers become conversation partners over a pint of bitter. These bars don’t chase trends. They don’t need Instagram backdrops. They’re the opposite of Dubai’s rooftop lounges or Monaco’s velvet-rope clubs. They’re quiet, stubborn, and proud. And they still serve real ales, not craft sodas in mason jars. traditional London pubs, long-standing neighborhood drinking establishments with fixed seating, dartboards, and no dress code. Also known as local pubs, they’re the backbone of London’s social fabric. You’ll find retirees playing dominoes, writers scribbling in notebooks, and old couples sharing a bottle of wine like they’ve done for forty years.

This collection doesn’t just list bars. It shows you the stories behind them—the ones that survived the Blitz, the ones that hosted Dylan Thomas, the ones where the landlord still pours your drink before you ask. You’ll learn how to spot a real one (hint: if it has a happy hour, it’s probably not). You’ll see which ones still have original fireplaces, which ones serve gin from 1920s bottles, and which ones have no menu because the barman knows what you want before you sit down.

These aren’t tourist attractions. They’re living history. And if you want to understand London beyond the museums and the double-decker buses, you need to sit at one of these counters, order something simple, and listen.