Private Bars for Hire in London

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Top Private Bars in London

London’s top-notch private bars for hire promise you to elevate your next night out! From Shoreditch rooftop terraces to cooler-than-cool concept spaces, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to exclusive lounges. Whether you’re looking for a local hangout for casual drinks with mates, a traditional bar with private rooms to knock back a nice cold pint or a high-end bar with a late licence where you can live it up like a celebrity A-lister, we can point you in the right direction. So, explore our diverse range of private bars and get ready for an unforgettable evening!

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Private Bars Hire Guide

Discover Your Ideal Private Bar in London

Looking for a private bar in London for your next celebration? You’re in the right place! Here at Tagvenue, we’re party venue hire experts. Are you focusing on bars in Central London or some other neighbourhood? No matter what you have in mind, we’re sure to have something that fits your requirements. If you’re still not sure what kind of VIP drinking spot you’d like to hire, have a look at some of our top recommendations:

  • Boundary-breaking cocktail bars – As London is famous for its mixology scene, the choice of private bars available for hire is tremendous. Indulge your guests with delectable daiquiris, mouth-watering margaritas and other special drinks prepared by London’s best bartenders. Cheers!
  • Traditional British pubs – Because it’s London, after all! We’re here to help you find the best pubs for hire in every district of London. Everybody loves a nice cold pint and delicious pub grub in a cosy setting. Consider yourself a foodie? London has plenty of gastropubs with function rooms for private dining, too.
  • Karaoke bars – Unleash your inner rock stars and divas! A private bar with karaoke is always a good idea. Have a round or two at the bar and sing your heart out. And the best part? At a karaoke bar, it’s absolutely acceptable to make a fool of yourself. Let your hair down, rock the mic like a boss and enjoy your experience at bars for a private party!
  • Up-and-coming hipster joints – think places in south and east London, Brixton, Hoxton, Camden Town and Islington. London is full of hip districts that are famous for their great bar scenes. From private spaces for laid-back drinks to the best bars in London with a view, there’s something for everyone.

Private Bars are fantastic for celebrating almost any occasion, but they are especially suited for birthday parties and company gatherings. They offer all of the amenities that you expect at a bar, with the added bonuses of privacy and a dedicated staff.

Tips to Host a Successful Party at a Private Bar in London

There are many things to keep in mind when you are planning to hire a private bar in London. Here are a few things to stay on top of to make sure you get the most out of your night:

Guest Count – An accurate guest count is a key part of ensuring success at your parties in a private lounge. Send out invitations and request a confirmation of attendance. Once you have a rough number of how many guests you will be expecting, you can find the perfect place for your party. Calculate your purchase of food and beverages based on the number of guests you expect. Always confirm the final guest count with your venue, so they can ensure that your party will be adequately staffed.

Location – Location is a key factor to keep in mind when planning a fun night out. Central London has plenty of great private bars to choose from that are convenient to get to from any part of the city. This area also offers convenient options for your afterparty, especially around popular clubbing spots like Soho. If you are considering an event that will attract guests from out of town, consider venues and hotels not too far from major transport hubs, such as airports and train stations.

Cost – Establishing a budget for your party is very important. London can be pricey. However, there are numerous types of hire options that may ease the cost. Minimum-spend venues avoid the cost of a hire fee - in exchange for the use of the space, you will simply need to spend a certain amount at the bar for a drink and/or food. Per-person party packages are an excellent option as they usually offer a set menu and often some limited drink options as well. Remember that centrally located venues will generally be more expensive.

Last but not least, here’s a shortlist of things to remember when hiring a private bar for hire in London:

  • Prepare a list of things you need to do before your event – it makes planning a party at a private bar much less stressful!

  • Check whether the private bar has all the A/V equipment you’ll need for your event. If it doesn’t, ask if you can bring your own.

  • Ask the bar’s manager about their catering offer. Some venues allow external catering, too.

  • Private bars with event space for hire in London vary in size. You should hire one that’s not too big and not too small for the number of guests you’ve invited.

  • Check and make sure that all transport links and make sure the location is convenient.

Private bars are great places to gather for just about any occasion and there are plenty of options to choose from in London. Whether you are planning a birthday party, a night out with friends, or a corporate party, Tagvenue can help you sort through all of the great bars with our featured filtering options. Get your party planning started and book with us today!

FAQs about Private Bars in London

What areas of London have the coolest and quirkiest bars for hire?

Check out Shoreditch for the hipster vibes of venues such as temper Shoreditch, located near Old Street Station or the legendary multiple-event spaces of Queen of Hoxton. Try Camden Town if your tastes turn more to vintage cocktail bars with a private space such as the popular lounge Near & Far. If you want a less complicated vibe and love to dance, check out Brixton.

How much does it cost to hire a bar for a private party in London?

If you are looking to hire a bar with a private room, expect minimum spend options to range from £100 to £3,000. Other options include spaces for straight hire for £90 to £2,000 per session. Some more luxurious private bars can be found at around £10,000. Other private bars can be hired for £25 to £100 per person. (All data from Tagvenue.)

Can I provide the alcohol at an event in a private bar?

Yes, there are many private bars with event rooms that will allow you to BYOB for your event. When searching for your party space on a venue platform like Tagvenue, you will be able to determine whether you will be allowed to provide your own alcohol or not. Just use the 'BYO alcohol allowed' filter to find all BYO bars available in London! Be aware that you may be charged a corkage fee, so make sure to check ahead of time about any potential costs. 

What are the best private bars in London?

Some of the top-rated private bars are:

Lockes Bar – The Downstairs Cocktail Bar is a trendy private bar venue that is great for hen parties and birthday parties alike. This venue is ideal for small parties.

Patch St. Pauls – This private bar offers an elegant cocktail lounge adorned with wood, high tops, and benches. It is an excellent private bar for bridal showers.

Dirty Martini – The “Cocktail Cavern” has a vintage revival theme that is akin to a speakeasy. This retro private bar will be sure to impress your guests and will certainly set the tone for your evening.

Guests Reviews of Private Bars on Tagvenue

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Tommy A.
Booked Warehouse Bar at Fox@ExCeL
The fox @ Excel hosted our wedding reception on 8th July 2023. The manager we first spoke to (Jenny) was an absolute star, she couldn’t do enough for us and was so professional. Rest of the staff also did a great job. Venue also helped us find a band and put on really nice catering. The wedding cost was very reasonable considering it was in london and we could keep a free bar for our 180 guests all night.
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Kavitha L.
Booked The Downstairs Cocktail Bar for 60 guests at Lockes Bar Covent Garden
The venue was perfect for my event. Staff were absolutely amazing, flexible and kind. Staff were so helpful throughout and I didn't worry about a thing. Having your own bar staff is such a benefit and the bartender at the end of the night really made sure we didn't waste a drop of wine! The air conditioning made the experience really enjoyable as well. I would highly recommend this venue to anyone looking to plan a party.
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Taylor S.
Booked Function Room at Simmons | Euston Square
From arrival a member of staff was on hand to welcome us and help us set up. They led us up to the space, which is fantastic and was perfect for my needs. We got to play our own music (they had an aux to iphone port adapter ready in case we didn't have that ready ourselves) and also could use karaoke whenever we decided. We also had our own bar and bartender for the whole night, and it was happy hour for some of our booking (6-11pm). You get the whole upstairs room private, and there is a photo booth and N64 console for use as well. I was told on the evening that I had met the minimum spend, and was refunded the deposit I paid promptly (within a week). Thank you for a fantastic night, this was a great venue to host my 30th birthday party :)
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Anish P.
Booked The Downstairs Cocktail Bar for 60 guests at Lockes Bar Covent Garden
A huge shoutout to the team at Lockes for a fantastic night hosting my engagement drinks! We had the private space booked out downstairs and we loved the vibe and service of the staff! They were flexible in customising the furniture & layout of the room, ensuring we have control of the lights and music volume and allowed me to change the arrival time of my pre ordered food based on when the majority of my guests arrived. I had many guests ask me how I found this venue and express how much they loved it! Steve & Marco do a fantastic job of running the place and they were easily reachable from the moment we made the first inquiry. The availability of the entire cocktail & food menu was fantastic and we loved the attentive service we received from our bartender who looked after us all night. I couldn’t have found a better venue that met all my requirements than Lockes - we’re so glad to have chosen this venue!
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Amber P.
Booked Cocktail Cavern at Dirty Martini Hanover Square
Really great communication from start to finish with the team, especially the event manager. Well run on the day with smooth food timings and bar service who worked well given the demand. The packages on offer and prices were reasonable and helped make the event very inclusive. Really appreciate how helpful everyone was, especially the management in allowing some external catering due to religious reasons as well as general helpfulness in making the event a success and would definitely recommend the space and services.
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Samuel B.
Booked Studio 61 at Sway
I used Sway last week for my 25th birthday party, and hired their Hide Room for the evening. We had a fantastic evening emphasised by the accommodating venue and helpful staff. From the initial organisation with the event staff (special mention to Cortney), to the effective door-team the whole evening ran very smoothly. We had a private bar and bartender, which allowed the guests to purchase drinks without leaving the room, which was a great help. We also played our own music through the evening, which was easily set up by plugging in through an Aux cord, with a lightning adapter which was provided by the staff. Later in the evening we could go back and forth to the club, which all of the guests appreciated to get a variety of music and also atmosphere. We also ordered food for the event from their buffet pick n mix menu, and ordered the 12 plates option to provide everyone with nibbles in the middle of the evening. This food was well portioned and of a very high quality, lots of guests commented to me how good it all was! The chilli and mango prawns were great, but even the triple cooked chips were fantastic and did well to line the stomach.
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Joanne M.
Booked Secret Bar at Looking Glass Cocktail Club
We hired the Secret Bar at the Looking Glass Cocktail Club bar for a joint 30th birthday and had an amazing night. The bar was accommodating with our minimum spend which we easily met and went over anyway and our guests all loved the venue. The bar has a recommended DJ but were happy for us to use our own DJ. They also let us decorate the bar and not many other venues we looked at allowed hire until 3am! Our guests loved the mirror door entry, and it was nice to be entirely separate from the living room bar, with our own toilets, cloakroom and bar. Pre-ordered drinks were served around on trays rather than just at the bar which was a nice touch and saved queuing at the bar. Thanks for an awesome evening!
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Raphael K.
Booked Mezzanine at Trapeze Bar
+ the venue was great, not too many people at the start, very accommodating barman and staff upstairs (e.g. when asked to show the football game on the TV) + DJ was playing great music and everyone really enjoyed it + the food (platters) was actually really tasty and there was plenty of it + the manager on duty was really nice and let us bring upstairs as many people as we wanted + great offers on drink from the start

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