Introduction

London truly comes alive at night and with the academic pressures of LSE, it’s more than tempting to grab some friends and party like it’s 1999.

Because London is such as big city, most of the popular bars and clubs are situated in several different areas, namely Shoreditch, Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Camden Town, and Clapham. There are, however, other great spots near London Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and South Ken, but the greatest concentration of nightlife entertainment centers around the former areas. Below are some of the highlights that I have frequented with other LSE students. Be sure to check out TimeOut London for more reviews.

Campus Bars

George IV – perhaps the most iconic bar for LSE postgrad students. Located next to the main library, the George is a mainstay for post-seminar drinks during the week. Reasonable prices, great decor, and friendly atmosphere for meeting other students. Seating is competitive and it certainly gets busy during the peak hours of 6PM-8PM Monday-Friday. If its busy inside, order an outside drink and chill on the street.

George – The “other” George is half a block east on Fleet Street from Aldwych. It’s a nice alternative to the IV. Plenty of seating and less noisy. Great for a group of friends to relax.

Ye Olde White Horse – Just around the corner from the IV. Although its smaller and has an even older crowd than the IV, it has its own loyal following.

Three Tuns – The undergrad hangout in the East Building features a large bar and seating area on the ground floor and a dance floor in the basement. Staff is pretty friendly, drinks are very cheap, and the atmosphere is lively. It’s perfect for getting to know other students slash flirting, especially on Crush Night, a big dance party every friday night.

Cheshire Cheese – A really cool bar on Fleet Street. The layout is maze-like with different lounges and bars located on two-and-a-half different floors; it can be tricky to find friends here, but its cozy and great for casual drinks.

Knights Templar – North one block from the corner of Chancery Lane and Fleet Street, the Knights Templar has 30-foot ceilings and several 2nd-floor rooms with balconies overlooking the main bar. Great for holding program or department-wide parties. Typical prices. And pretty good food.

Gordon’s Wine Bar – Located right near Embankment tube station, Gordon’s is one of the oldest pubs in London. It’s stone walls and low ceilings take you back in time as you spend your night with your partner over candelight. Great variety of wines and prices; many of very reasonable (<20 quid). Try to reserve private rooms behind the iron gates. Seats get filed up very quickly. Just buy a glass and patiently wait for a night to remember.

Shoreditch/Convent Garden/Other Clubs

Book Club – Rated very high at TimeOut and deservedly so. The dance floor is underground. Pretty roomy and there is a lounge cordoned off near the back for tired feet. Mostly pop/top-40 tunes, some pop-alternative. Upstairs is dedicated for relaxing, drinking, and talking. While the place gives off a hip slash yuppie feel, the people are generally friendly and approachable. Slightly more women than men.

Roxy – great student club for dancing, but not much seating or quiet areas. Great prices for student night on Wednesdays.

Roadhouse – a classic young singles club. Come here to listen to top-40 pop/hip-hop songs while bouncing your tee-tots against strange, but mildly attractive club-goers; has several different areas for dancing/talking/sitting

Fabric – this 7-story multi-theme club plays different styles of house techno depending on which room you are in; extremely popular and deserves at least a visit, even if you are not techno-minded

Ministry of Sound – formerly one of the premier warehouse clubs in Europe. A bit more mainstream than Fabric. A lot of fun to check out.