It’s perhaps unsurprising that these are also great places to let your hair down and have a good time. With prices far cheaper than the average London bar tab, these venues are definitely worth celebrating.

Is it happy hour yet?

Related: Saving on nightlife, culture and bars in London

1. Simmons

Several locations around London

Not a happy hour but a happy FIVE hours is the norm in this chain of bars. You can find them in locations around London including Soho, Kings Cross, Fitzrovia and Camden. All the bars benefit from the eclectic decor, mixing kitsch toys, neon signs, and granny-style light shades. That style is reflected in the drinks too, and they even serve cocktails in teapots (for £15 during happy hour).

The times for the Happy Hours vary between venue – check their website for details – but offers include spirit and mixer or a glass of wine for £2.50 (perfect for those who prefer more a conventional drinking receptacle!).

2. Be at One

Several locations around London

Another chain of bars that prides itself on its happy hour, Be At One has locations in central London including Camden and Covent Garden. Again, the time of their happy hours varies between venues, but usually spans a couple of hours every night, including the weekend.

You’ll find a two-for-one on their extensive cocktail menu, which includes all the classics as well as some more unusual numbers such as the “Swedish Death Nettle”. The bars share a fun, party atmosphere, while some — including the Covent Garden Russell Street branch — have a late license.

3. London Cocktail Club

Several locations around London

Describing themselves as “a serious drinkers party bar”, this is another cocktail chain. There are branches in Goodge Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, Oxford Circus, Islington, and Bethnal Green.

LCC serves up some truly imaginative cocktails, served in equally inventive ways — fancy a bacon and egg martini, served with a garnish of real bacon? It’ll taste even better when bought as part of the 2 for £12 happy hour deal. Times vary between venues so check their site for details.

4. Cafe Kick & Bar Kick

Leave behind the cocktails for just for a bit (although they do serve them too), and step into one of the two branches of these Soccer-themed bars. It takes its cue from European bars, rather than British pubs, offering bottles of European beers, wine, and the opportunity to play your own game of foosball (known as ‘table football’ across the pond).

Their happy hour runs from 4 pm to  7 pm every day, when you can buy a bottle of house beer for £2. At Bar Kick, you can also pick up a bottle of the house wine for only £12.

5. Barrio

Four locations in London: Angel, Soho, Shoreditch & Brixton

Also on a global theme are the Barrio bars that can be found in Angel, Soho, Shoreditch, and Brixton, offering a colorful and kitsch take on South American style.

Their “Amigo Hours” are the time to really become friendly with their drinks menu. Running all day Sunday and Monday, and until 8 pm (9 pm in Brixton) from Tuesday to Saturday, they offer £5.50 select cocktails, while you can pick up a selection of beers for £3.50 a bottle.

6. Slim Jims

112 Upper Street, Islington
Tube: Angel

Okay, it might not be why you wanted to visit Europe, but Slim Jims aims to offer a taste of the States in the heart of London. They have a big love of whiskey, liquor, and rock n roll.

There’s regular live music, but one of the attractions has to be their happy hour, running from 4 pm to 8 pm on Tuesday to Friday, and until 10 pm on Sundays and Mondays. The deal? 2-for-1 cocktails!

7. Joe’s Southern Kitchen

34 King St, Covent Garden
Tube: Leicester Square or Covent Garden Station

Another British take on the States, Joe’s serves up generous portions of fried chicken, pulled pork, mac n’ cheese and the like. They’re also generous with their happy hours at their bar — running all day Sunday and from 4 pm until 6.30 pm on Monday to Friday — where selected cocktails are just £4.

It’s also well worth checking if their downstairs “Cocktail Baby” space is open. Not only does it play a great mix of disco, soul, and house music, it’s £5 for cocktails from Thursday to Saturday.

8. The Drunken Monkey

222 Shoreditch High St, Shoreditch
Tube: Liverpool Street

Head to The Drunken Monkey (just down the road from Bar Kick) for dim sum and cocktails. It’s a cool space, decorated in rich red with kitsch touches and a DJ playing funk, house and soul, with even cooler happy hour offers.

Running from 5 pm to 7 pm Monday to Friday, and from 12 pm until 7 pm and all day Sunday, you can buy four beers for £10. There’s a selection of cocktails available for £5 each too, from classics such as the Shanghai Sling and Mojito to their own inventions such as Monkey’s Strawberry Lemonade, a refreshing but potent mix of vodka, crème de fraise, strawberries, and citrus juice.

9. The Roxy

3-5 Rathbone Pl, Fitzrovia
Tube: Tottenham Court Road Station

This basement bar and club just near Tottenham Court Road is a popular spot for an evening out, open until late every night except Sunday and playing a wide range of music, from indie through to chart pop.

There are plenty of promotions that will make you want to stay out late — each weekday the happy runs from 5 pm until 8.30 pm, and on Saturday it’s between 6.30 pm and 10.30 pm. There’s a wide range of drinks included, including half price cocktail pitchers and bottles of house wine. In addition, Monday to Wednesday brings a 2-for-1 on cocktails.

10. The Old School Yard

111 Long Lane, London Bridge
Tube: Borough

This charmingly scruffy around the edges bar is inspired by your school days — they’ve even got lockers! However, it’s probably a lot more fun than your school days ever were, with video games, a karaoke booth, and plenty of cocktails.

Open Tuesday through Saturday, the happy hour runs from 5:30 pm until 8 pm. Enjoy two beers for £5 or cocktails for £4.50 each, to a soundtrack of suitably retro hits.

The post London Bars: 10 Best happy hour deals in London appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

But warning: Without proper planning, you could easily blow your entire budget on a couple of nights out on the town. But you don’t need to spend a lot to have a fun and memorable night. To prove it, we’ve compiled this Cheapo guide to some of our long-standing, wallet-friendly favorite nights out in London.

London transport at night

Transport needs to be factored into any night out in London as, sadly for late-night revelers, the Underground closes relatively early. The exact time varies, but last tube trains are generally between midnight to 12:30 a.m. (check in the tube station for the exact time of its last train).

A highly-anticipated “Night Tube” was meant to start this past September, but the project has been postponed, leaving the huge network of night buses as the cheapest way to get home after the Tube  closes. You can check out Central London routes here. Use your Oyster card to travel at night, as you would during the day. If you’re using a day travel card, it’s valid until the Tube starts running again the following morning.

Related: London Public Transport: How to save on Tube and bus tickets

London’s famous black cabs are expensive, though you might save as a group by booking a licensed mini-cab in advance. And, as with other cities, many Londoners are dedicated Uber users.

Yo Olde Cheshire Cheese is a classic, and yes, very old London pub. Photo: George Rex

Drinking: Pubs, bars and coffee shops

You’ll find places to drink all over London (navigate your way around a London local with our pub guide), although areas with a reputation for the best nightlife include Soho and Shoreditch. Further afield—and likely to be slightly cheaper—Brixton and Dalston both have great reputations for their bar scenes.

Pubs

• City wide, Samuel Smith and Wetherspoons pubs both offer cheaper than average drinks. The former are especially worth checking out for their historic interiors.

• Other traditional pubs that won’t break the bank include the wonderfully named Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street—dating back to the 17^th century and boasting an amazing history.

• Also check out the Jerusalem Tavern in Clerkenwell.

Cocktail bars

Fancy something a little more fancy than a pint? Seek out some of the capital’s finest happy hours.

• The Barrio chain—with four branches around London—has daily £5 cocktail Amigo Hours (times vary between branches).

• The fun London Cocktail Club venues host regular discounts on their delicious drinks, too.

Cafes and coffee houses

London is somewhat lacking when it comes to evening drinking options that aren’t alcohol-focused. However, for a late-night coffee you could try Soho’s legendary cafe Bar Italia, which serves up the black stuff 24 hours a day.

Waterloo’s cute Scooter Caffe—open until midnight on weekends—puts as much emphasis on its coffee as its beer (if not more), as does Shoreditch’s The Bridge Coffee House and Lounge, another late-night favorite.

There’s usually free admission to the fun blues bar Ain’t Nothin’ But. Photo: Vlad

Nightlife: Clubs and live music

London has something for all tastes and budgets. The nightlife scene is constantly changing, so pick up a free copy of Time Out magazine for the up-to-the minute latest.

Clubs

While London’s dance clubs are so diverse that it’s hard to state hard and fast rules about them, in general you’ll probably pay less if you get to the venue early. Look out for fliers or try to get on the guest list online for cheaper entry fees. Here are some favorite clubs:

• For central London cheesy music, you could try The Roxy (take note of their happy hours).

• Heaven is one of London’s most famous gay clubs. Note that it’s worth making a pre-club outing to the G-A-Y bar to try and pick up free entry fliers first.

• Shoreditch’s Catch, meanwhile, is a late night DJ bar/club. As they describe themselves on their website, it’s “always free, always fun!”

Live Music

Larger concert venues tend to sell out well in advance, but there are a few last-minute options:

• King Cross’ Lexington and Shoreditch’s Old Blue Last are both pubs that specialize in hosting the best new guitar bands.

• Ain’t Nothin’ But is an atmospheric and lively blues bar, found near Carnaby Street. It offers free admission most nights, and is free before 8:30 p.m. on weekends.

• Jazz more your thing? Take a look at Soho Jazz Wednesdays—sign up on the website for discounts and special offers on some of London’s best jazz joints.

Related: A Cheapo’s guide to free music in London

Snag a cheap ticket to a show at the Old Vic. Photo: Peter Morgan

Entertainment: Theater and culture

London is filled with evening culture options. From the big shows in the West End theatres to late nights at museums, you’re certain to find something culturally rich to do in London once the sun goes down.

Theater, cinema and comedy clubs

Free (or at least seriously cheap) theater tickets? Yes, it’s true. Score yourself free and cheap theater tickets with our guide to free tickets. (And don’t forget, if buying tickets to a big West End musical or play, head straight for the official TKTS discount theatre booth at Leicester Square — and not from the dealers surrounding it!)

We’ve also got some invaluable money saving tips on cinema going in the capital.

Or chortle your way through an evening at one of Angel Comedy’s impressive array of free events, or the New Act Night at the Comedy Café. That also costs nothing, and who knows what up-and-coming talent you’ll spot?

Museums and galleries

First of all, remember that national museums are open for free to visitors. To enjoy them after-hours, attend a Museum Late—evening openings at the museum, often with music and additional talks, tours and workshops.

Arty types will also enjoy First Thursdays, where over 150 east London galleries open their doors for free events and private views.

Something different

And for something completely different, check out the range of activities at Drink, Shop and Do. You can take part in evenings involving everything from making Lego robots to adult coloring in—many for free when you buy a drink.

And, after all that craftiness, be sure to round off your night by hitting their downstairs dance floor!

The post London Nightlife Savings: How to save at pubs, clubs and culture appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

London is a pricey city, and visitors tend to suffer a decent hit to their wallets before they even get to cocktail hour. Here are three trusted happy hours around town to ensure you get a bit of a bargain to kick off your night.

Dirty Martini’s

11/12 Russell Street
WC2B 5HZ
Tel: 0844 371 2550
Web site

Happy hour: Monday to Thursday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday all night.

Classy after-work kind of place, worth getting a bit dressed up for. It’s in a chic basement off the Covent Garden piazza, away from the crowds and street performers, and the cocktail list even includes diet-conscious options for those still hanging on to their New Year’s resolutions. During the daily happy hour, choose from half-price bottles of wine and glasses of champagne (with bottles of champagne offered at a £10 discount), as well as delicious martinis for £4.

Mustard Bar and Lounge

2 Old Change Court
St Paul’s
EC4M 8EN
Tel: 020 7236 5318
Web site

Happy hour: Monday to Friday 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The oddly named Mustard Bar is in the City’s square mile financial district, located just a few steps from the towering dome of St. Paul’s. Top off your trip around the cathedral with some weekday discount drinks, with selected cocktails and beers for £6 and £2.50 respectively, and 20% off selected wines (presumably all served without mustard).

The Roxy

3 Rathbone Place
W1T 1HJ
Tel: 020 7255 1098
Web site

Happy hour: Monday to Friday 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Saturday 9:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Cheerful studenty place just north of Oxford Street, with a rowdy line-up of club nights and a young clientele. Good for a fun weekday binge when you’re on a budget. Take your pick from half-price cocktail pitchers at £7.95, two for one Grolsch beers at £3.40 and half-price bottles of wine.

The post 3 Bars in Central London with Great “Happy Hours” appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.