London Bridge and Borough are one of the best patches of London for a night out. You have riverside pubs that have been here for centuries, food market bars spilling out onto the street, cocktail venues tucked down side streets, and a cluster of entertainment venues that keep the area going into the small hours.
This is a guide for anyone planning a night out in the area — visitors, people heading here for the first time, or locals looking for something different.
The Old School Yard — Bar, Karaoke & Terrace
111 Long Lane, SE1 4PH
We’re biased, obviously — but this is our street, so we know it well. The Old School Yard is a bar on Long Lane, just off Borough High Street, with private karaoke rooms and a front terrace that’s one of the few proper outdoor spaces in the karaoke category.
The karaoke rooms take groups from 6 to 20. No room hire fee — just a drinks minimum. Cocktails, beers, a full bar. The front terrace means you can arrive, have drinks outside, then move into the karaoke rooms when you’re ready.
The venue works for hen parties, birthdays, work nights, friends’ nights, or any group that wants a space of their own rather than queuing for songs in a public bar.
Borough Market & The Market Area
Borough Market is one of the anchors of the area — open most days, surrounded by pubs and bars that have adapted to the food-and-drink crowd that visits throughout the week. On a Friday or Saturday evening the whole area around the market is busy, with outdoor seating spilling onto the cobblestones.
The pubs and bars around here have been here a long time. The George Inn on Borough High Street is a National Trust-owned coaching inn with a yard that functions as outdoor seating in summer — one of the more unusual pub experiences in London.
Riverside Bars
The Southwark stretch of the Thames has several riverside options. Hay’s Galleria is a covered Victorian wharf that houses bars and restaurants with views across to the City. The Horniman at Hay’s Wharf — known locally as The Horniman — is a traditional riverside pub with outdoor terrace seating popular with after-work crowds.
The walk along the South Bank towards Bankside connects London Bridge to Tate Modern and the Globe Theatre, passing several outdoor bars and food vendors along the way.
Cocktail Bars in SE1
The area around London Bridge has developed a decent cocktail bar scene. Bermondsey Street, running south from Borough Market, has become one of the better streets in south London for bars and restaurants — independent, mixed in style, and consistently good.
Maltby Street Market, a short walk from London Bridge station, operates at weekends and is surrounded by arched railway bars that have built a loyal following over the years.
After-Work Drinks
London Bridge station is one of the busiest commuter hubs in London, which means the after-work crowd here is large and the bars are designed around it. The area around the station — particularly towards the riverside — fills up on weekday evenings.
For groups wanting to move from drinks to an event in the same evening, The Old School Yard works well as a combined venue — drinks at the bar or on the terrace, then karaoke rooms for the later part of the night.
Planning a Night Out Near London Bridge
Getting here: London Bridge station has Tube (Northern and Jubilee lines) and National Rail. Borough station is also walkable. From central London, the journey is fast.
When to come: Friday and Saturday evenings are busy. For groups booking karaoke rooms, advance booking is recommended for weekend evenings — rooms fill up.
What to do: The most common London Bridge night out pattern is Borough Market for food and early drinks, then moving to a venue for the evening. The Old School Yard fits naturally as the evening venue for groups of 6–20 who want something structured rather than pub-crawling.
Book a Karaoke Room
Private karaoke rooms for groups of 6 to 20. Cocktails, beers, a full bar. Front terrace. No room hire fee.
See also: Our Karaoke Rooms → | Hen Party Karaoke → | Cocktail Bar → | Beer Garden & Terrace →*
The Old School Yard | 111 Long Lane, London Bridge, SE1 4PH