In bygone days, the only machines you were likely to find in a traditional London boozer were the ones vending cigarettes and maybe an old-school fruit machine.
Today, things are a little different. The rise of competitive bar games has meant many pubs are fit to burst with machines and technology that make for nights packed with good times and friendly competition.
Our list features twelve venues in and around London at the forefront of this movement in competitive socialising.
Some offer a twist on classic British bar games – you can’t go wrong with barroom staples such as darts and pool – but we also have some off-the-wall bar-based activities you won’t find anywhere else (axe throwing or clay pigeon shooting, anyone?)
And we haven’t forgotten that at the heart of the pub experience is the food and drink.
So, we’ve gone for boozers, bars and event spaces where you’ll find free-flowing beer, copious cocktails and some of the finest cuisine and bar snacks anywhere in the capital.
Ready to get your game on? Then, let’s begin.
NB: Our list is ordered by Google rating and number of reviews.
1. Boom Battle Bar, Oxford Street (★ 4.8 | 3,600+ Reviews)
Perhaps the best way to describe the games at this top-rated bar in Oxford Street is cutting-edge – literally so in one case.
You can play updated versions of many common pub games here, including augmented reality darts and digital beer pong.
But for an unforgettable bar game experience, you’ve simply gotta try the augmented-reality axe-throwing machines, where you and your pals battle it out to find out who has the best hatchet-heaving technique.
The bar’s games might involve an element of virtual reality, but the bar’s bottomless brunch is certainly the real deal.
It features an hour and a half of endless booze, sumptuous street food and a complimentary round of Crazier Golf.
Deals and Discounts
- Student discount: A 15% discount on games from Monday to Thursday for anyone in full-time education.
- Disco brunch: A themed brunch every Saturday, with new themes introduced every six weeks.
- Gift vouchers: Perfect for personal or corporate gifting.
Contact Information
- Address: Basement and Ground Floor, 70–88 Oxford St, London W1D 1BP.
- Phone: 020 7424 6790.
- Website: https://boombattlebar.com/uk/london-oxford-street/
2. TOCA Social, Greenwich – (★ 4.8 | 2,150+ Reviews)
Based in the O2 Arena, this is the world’s first interactive sports-themed venue.
It boasts five fully immersive football-based games, each aimed at players with different ball-playing skills.
For more seasoned ballers, there are games such as Atom Splitter and Zombie Attack, where you rack up points by using your football skills to split atoms and slay killer zombies.
Novice players can try their hand (or foot) at Striker, a beginner-friendly game where you only must hit the screen to score a point.
After the football, you should sample the venue’s first-class international food menu, which features American hot dogs, South American nachos and Asian dumplings.
Its killer cocktail list contains concoctions with delightfully punny soccer-related names, including its uber-popular Wred Card.
Discounts & Deals
- Midweek football drinks deal: Turn up wearing a football shirt of a team that has an official fixture on the day of your visit to the TOCA, and you will receive a free drink.
- Happy hour: Enjoy all the bar’s drinks for 90 minutes at a discounted price (Sunday to Friday).
- Student discount: Every Monday, students get 50% off when they use code STUDENT50 at checkout.
- Early kick-off deal: Enjoy 25% off game boxes for bookings starting before 09:30 on Saturdays and Sundays.
- Women’s Wednesday: Every Wednesday (excluding December), women play for free when they book a slot starting at 19:00 using the code WOMENFREE at checkout.
Contact Information
- Address: The O2, Peninsula Square, London SE10 0DX.
- Phone: 0330 331 4800.
- Website: https://www.toca.social/
3. Flight Club, Bloomsbury – (★ 4.5 | 1,600+ Reviews)
As you might have guessed from the punningly titled name this bar uses, this place is all about darts – or social darts, as it’s known.
The venue’s aesthetic can best be described as a Victorian fairground – along with banks of dartboards, it also sports a rocking horse ride and a stunning carousel bar that gives the place its 19th-century funfair vibe.
Social darts is like regular darts, but less intense and more fun and is accompanied by digital screens and scoring.
The darts-based games here feature titles such as Demolition, a darts version of the game Battleships, and Shanghai, where you score as high as possible in a single round by hitting the same number on each throw.
As far as food is concerned, the bar’s signature burger is a firm favourite among regulars. And be sure to visit during Margarita Month, when patrons can quaff five exclusive margaritas.
Deals & Discounts
- Hospitality worker discount: A 33% discount on all food and drinks is available for people working in hospitality on Mondays and Sundays. Just show your payslip or work ID on arrival.
- Blue Light card holder discount: Members enjoy a 25% discount off all food and drink. The offer is available Sunday to Friday. The offer is not available in December.
Contact Information
- Address: 55 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1BS.
- Phone: 020 3019 3093.
- Website: https://www.flightclubdarts.com/london/bloomsbury
4. Electric Shuffle, London Bridge – (★ 4.6 | 1,000+ Reviews)
This iconic bar under the famous arches in Bermondsey hosts some of the most competitive shuffleboard competitions you’ll find in the capital.
For the uninitiated, shuffleboard is a fairly recent introduction to London’s gaming scene from across the Pond.
It’s a mix of curling, bar skittles and bowls and requires players to slide their pucks into a scoring zone at the bottom of a long table.
The bar has ten shuffle tables in total, and there is room around the tables for up to 16 friends.
The scoring is all automated, and an action replay system is ready to capture your memorable shuffleboard shots and replay them across the venue’s screens for everyone to see.
Thanks to the bar’s push-for-service button, you never need to leave your seat to order drinks – its signature margaritas, espresso martinis, and frozen slushies are all customer favourites.
The food menu features cheesy pizzas, burgers, and small plates.
Discounts & Deals
- Margarita month: A special selection of margaritas available from Feb 17 – Mar 31.
- Lunch offer: Weekday lunch for £15, including a burger, fries, and a drink (12:00–15:00).
- Happy hour: Weekdays (15:00-19:00) with discounted beer, cocktails, and Prosecco.
Contact Information
- Address: 10 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 2ER.
- Phone: 020 3859 4765.
- Website: http://electricshuffle.com/locations/london-bridge
5. Clays Bar, Canary Wharf – (★ 4.5 | 300+ Reviews)
You no longer have to don your tweeds and tote a real-life rifle to enjoy a bit of clay pigeon shooting – just pop along to Clays Bar in Canary Wharf.
The shooting fun and games consist of six immersive games, each designed to test your speed and accuracy with a rifle.
Good hand-eye coordination is a must, especially when it comes to Peloton, where each time you hit your target, the target speeds up a notch as you race to the finish line, and Olympic Skeet, an immersive game that replicates a skeet shoot competition at the Olympics.
Blasting clay pigeons out of the sky can be thirsty work, so it’s fortunate that the bar also serves up some superbly crafted signature cocktails.
The food menu, crafted by culinary director Roger Olsson, boasts sustainably sourced British produce.
Discounts & Deals
- Exclusive hire options: Both private rooms and the full venue can be hired for your event. Room customisation is also available.
- Newsletter opt-in for discounts and offers: You can sign up for Clays’ newsletter and receive exclusive offers, discounts, and other deals, including birthday treats.
Contact Information
- Address: Unit B1, 1 Cabot Square, Canary Wharf, E14 4QJ.
- Phone: 020 3976 9050.
- Website: https://clays.bar/
6. Players Social, Spitalfields – (★ 4.4 | 920+ Reviews)
Players Social is a fun-packed place to meet friends and indulge your competitive side.
Bar games here include shuffleboard, ping pong, and table football (fussball).
If you need to chill out after all the competition, the bar has a spacious outdoor terrace where you can enjoy the fresh air and one of the bar’s vast array of craft beers, fine wines, and free-flowing cocktails.
There is an extensive sourdough pizza menu, and the bar hosts a lively brunch fiesta with mimosas and games on Sundays.
They also offer corporate and group bookings and cater for parties of between 16 to 300 people, with packages that include food, drinks, complimentary bar games, photo booth access, and in-house DJ hire.
Discounts & Deals
- Diamond package: Includes two hours of free-flowing beer and house wine, a games tournament with a dedicated host (complete with medals and a trophy), and sharing platters with sliders. Priced at £70 plus VAT per person.
- Gold package: Includes three house drinks per person, a 90-minute games area session, and sharing platters. Costs £50 plus VAT per person.
- Silver package: Provides three house drinks per person, a 60-minute shuffleboard session, and light snack bites. Priced at £40 plus VAT per person.
Contact Information
- Address: 1 Crispin Place, Spitalfields Market, London E1 6DW, UK.
- Phone: 020 7247 1001.
- Website: https://www.players-social.com/.
7. The Rookwood Village, Leytonstone – (★ 4.4 | 200+ Reviews)
The atmosphere here is lively, friendly and darts-obsessed.
Its bar games are all modern takes on classic darts games – principally classic 301 and 501 formats – but they also host other interactive darts-based games and ping pong.
The bar is also known for its themed quizzes.
It hosts a regular quiz (Wednesdays) and a special Gavin & Stacey quiz night, where contestants get to show off their knowledge of the hit BBC show.
As far as food and drink are concerned, you’ll find 30 world craft beers in bottles and six on draught, including local ales, and a range of tasty pizza, flatbread, and freshly made dough sticks, all of which are handmade and stone-baked onsite.
Discounts & Deals
- Free pizza: When you book an hour of interactive darts, you get a free pizza.
- Cocktail offer: Two house cocktails for £8.45 (Fridays & Monday nights) and two premium cocktails for £15.95 (Saturday evenings).
- 20% off midweek bookings: Enjoy a discount on darts sessions booked during the week.
Contact Information
- Address: 314 Cann Hall Road, London E11 3NW.
- Phone: 020 8534 3563.
- Website: https://therookwoodvillage.com/.
8. BrewDog, Waterloo – (★ 4.3 | 3,700+ Reviews)
The bar games on offer here are almost as numerous as the bar’s range of craft beers.
The pub’s onsite microbrewery is responsible for its cornucopia of fine ales – at last count, it was cooking up 60 draft beers for customers.
As far as fun and games are concerned, the main attractions are ping pong and a bowling alley, where you can have a go at the bar’s famous duckpin bowling, a quirky take on the classic ten-pin bowling.
And if you fancy channelling your inner child, there is also a 10-foot silver slide that’s ready to shuttle fun seekers between the bar’s upper and ground floors.
Discounts and Deals
- Student Discounts: Students enjoy a 25% discount on food and drinks all day, every day. A valid student ID is required.
- 50% off on Sundays: For those under 25, BrewDog offers a 50% discount on food and drinks every Sunday from 16:00.
- ‘Unlimited Wings’ Wednesdays: All-you-can-eat wings every Wednesday for £14.95; available for 90 minutes from the start of your booking.
- £1 Burger or pizza offer: When you pre-book a table, you can enjoy a burger or pizza and get another for just £1.
- Free delivery on all orders over £50: For online orders, delivery on purchases over £50 is free.
- Birthday freebies: Celebrate your birthday at BrewDog and receive free drinks during your visit. The booking must include a minimum of four guests, and the birthday boy or girl should have a valid ID.
Contact Information
- Address: The Sidings, Waterloo Station, London SE1 7BH.
- Phone: 020 3907 0006.
- Website: https://drink.brewdog.com/uk/brewdog-waterloo.
9. Bounce, Old Street – (★ 4.3 | 1,900+ Reviews)
This bar in Shoreditch specialises in ping pong in all its many weird and wonderful forms – Ping Pong X, Classic Ping Pong, and Beer Pong.
If you’re unsure which of the bar’s many pong formats is the one for you and your group, you might want to consult one of the bar’s Games Gurus, who are on hand to guide you through the fun and games.
Gurus are all about ramping up your gaming energy and showing you how to play and – just as importantly – win.
The bar’s bottomless brunch includes unlimited Prosecco, beer, and pizza.
The 90-minute package also includes a live DJ, exclusive access to ping pong tables, roaming Games Gurus, and the chance to Beat The Robot.
Discounts & Deals
- Emergency services discount: Free ping pong for up to six people with a valid NHS or emergency services ID or Blue Light card. Available Monday to Wednesday.
- Student discount: 20% off food and drinks with a valid student or NUS card. Available Monday to Wednesday (both bookings and walk-ins).
- Unlimited cocktails upgrade: Add unlimited cocktails (Pornstar Martinis, Espresso Martinis, Chilli Mango Margarita, and non-alcoholic Apple Spritz) to your bottomless brunch for an additional £10 per person.
- 10% off multiple bookings: Book two or more activities via BookAParty.com and receive a 10% discount on the total value.
Contact Information
- Address: 241 Old Street, London EC1V 9EY.
- Phone: 020 3657 6525.
- Website: http://bouncepingpong.com/old-street.
10. Dabbers Social Bingo, Aldgate (★ 4.3 | 300+ Reviews)
Dabbers Social Bingo offers an array of interactive and immersive versions of the popular numbers game, replete with quirky prizes, energetic hosts, and a hyperactive atmosphere.
The bar’s Bingo-themed games are too many to list, but highlights include Do You Dare Bingo where players are invited to choose between #TeamEven (more chances, smaller prizes) or #TeamOdd (bigger prize pot) and Bingo Voyage, which affords players the chance to win an overseas holiday while sipping on complimentary Bacardi cocktails.
Its bottomless brunch ticks all the right boxes, too – on Saturdays, players play a game of Bingo, fill up on brunch and quaff unlimited Prosecco, all for £42.
Discounts & Deals
- City annual membership: Six free tickets to any Dabbers City show; 15% off food, drinks, and future tickets (for up to 6 people). £95 for 12 months.
Contact Information
- Address: 18-22 Houndsditch, London EC3A 7DB.
- Phone: 020 3176 3139.
- Website: https://www.dabbers.bingo/.
11. Bat & Ball, Covent Garden – (★ 4.2 | 1,300+ Reviews)
You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to the fun and pub at this busy bar in Covent Garden.
This gaming hotspot offers interactive darts, ping pong, pool, mini-golf, beer pong, prosecco pong, shuffleboard, karaoke….we could go on.
Indeed, it might be an idea to hire one of the bar’s games masters to steer you through the plethora of games on offer here.
The games master is there to elevate your pub gaming experience by hosting, coaching, and organising the fun and games for you.
The menu features typical pub grub, with highlights including cheesy pizzas, juicy burgers, and hot wings.
Behind the bar, you’ll find a wide selection of craft beers, cocktails, and spirits.
Discounts & Deals
- Players package (£35 per person): Includes beers, sliders, buttermilk chicken, lamb kofta, avocado toast, and pizza.
- Ballers package (£55 per person): Features a bubbly reception, craft sliders, gourmet bites, and churros for dessert.
Contact Information
- Address: 50 Earlham Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9LJ.
- Phone: 020 7100 2500.
- Website: https://www.batandballwestfield.com/.
12. Bar Kick, Shoreditch – (★ 4.1 | 900+ Reviews)
Sports fans can’t go wrong with this bar in Shoreditch. Bar games are based around table football and interactive darts.
It also has a dozen HD TV screens showing pretty much every live sports event you can imagine – from Premier League football to F1.
Its food menu features favourites such as the ‘dirty burger’ and crispy fried chicken treats.
It also boasts a lengthy craft beer and cocktail list, where you’ll find a fine selection of beers on draught as well as premium cocktails.
Discounts & Deals
- Happy Hour: Bar Kick offers a weekly Happy Hour from Tuesday to Friday (14:00–19:00). Enjoy £5 off selected pints, £25 Prosecco bottles, and two-for-one on some cocktails.
Contact Information
- Address: 127 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JE
- Phone: 020 7739 8700
- Website: barkicklondon.com.
Activity Bars: What’s Next?
The gamification of London’s socialising scene continues apace.
Driven by younger socialisers who are not as keen on boozing and dancing as previous generations, competitive gaming is aimed squarely at party people who want to socialise but stay sober-ish.
The newest addition, Roxy Ball Room, is set to open in spring 2025 at St Mary Axe, opposite the famous Gherkin skyscraper.
It will offer many of the bar games and activities featured on our list and a few we haven’t mentioned – basketball and ice-free curling will make their London bow when the bat opens its doors in the coming months.
Share your Experience!
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