London is one of the busiest, most vibrant cities on the planet. There are so many things to do all over the city, from bars to escape rooms to mini golf and more. There’s so many choices if you’re looking for a fun night out ideas in London with your groups of friends or housemates. Best of all, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune either. Our list covers all sorts of fun nights out in London for groups with for all different budgets. From immersive experiences to competitive games, use our list next time you’re stuck on what to do on a night out in London with mates.
1. Draughts Bar
Draughts Bar is the ultimate board game/bar fusion. They have over 1,000 games in their library across their two venues (Waterloo, Hackney), alongside serving food like burgers, nachos and tacos. It’s the perfect option for a chill night out with friends or even a date night option. Bear in mind that you will have to book, however. You have to pay a £7 gaming admission fee (per person), but this gives you access to their whole library. It’s worth it.
Address: Arch 16 Leake Street, SE1 7NN
2. Ballie Ballerson Shoreditch
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Ballie Ballerson is a ball pit cocktail bar in Shoreditch, which makes it one of the top fun nights out in London for groups. It serves cocktails and pizzas as you play around in their ball pits with over 1 million balls. On top of that, they offer a karaoke room and even brunch on the weekends. I think the best part of Ballie Ballerson is that you technically don’t have to book. They have a limited number of free entry tickets on a first come first served basis. Of course, if you want to go in the ball pits, you’ll need to buy that ticket, but you can do so on arrival. It’s perfect if you decide to go on an impulsive visit.
Address: 97-113 Curtain Road, EC2A 3BS
3. Immersive Gamebox
At Immersive Gamebox, you have the opportunity to enjoy your own private, interactive, digital room. There are sites in Wandsworth, Shoreditch and Southbank. Choose from games 15, 30 or 60 minutes long and from there, it is go go go. Up to six people fit in a room, but if you’d like to go with a bigger group, you can compete against other rooms as well. It’s the perfect option for those of you with a competitive side. The prices vary depending on location, game and number of people. However, Immersive Gamebox offers discounted tickets for 60-minute experiences on Mondays to Wednesdays for students. Something to bear in mind.
Address: Wandsworth High Street, SW18 4TF
4. Junkyard Golf
Junkyard Golf is one of the go-to fun nights out in London for groups, but that shows how good it is. Their venue in Camden has four different courses, all with an exciting, immersive theme. At off-peak times (Sunday to Wednesday), a ticket costs £11 per person, per game, while peak time (Thursday to Saturday) will cost you £2 per person per game. But, from Sunday to Wednesday, you can get half-price mini golf on all courses with a valid student ID. We love to see it.
Address: 307-308 Camden Lock Place, Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AB
5. Sherlock: The Game Is Now
Sherlock: The Game Is Now, has several different themed escape rooms, all to do with the hit TV show. You can purchase a shared (2-3 players, £35 per person with a student discount) or a private (4-6 players, £40 per person with a student discount) escape room experience. You can work your way through the game featuring exclusive content from the TV show’s cast and a fully themed bar. Or, you can try out the brand new Mind of Moriarty room. There, you’ll enter the mind of Moriarty and work to take down the ‘Napoleon of Crime’ from the inside. A great option for a group of Sherlock fans. Find more escape rooms in London here to try.
Address: W12 Market, W12 8PP
6. The Lexington
Located in Pentonville in the heart of Islington, The Lexington is one of the most iconic bars in the city. It is an award-winning bar that also frequently hosts live music. The Indie night, also known as the White Heat Club night, is every Friday, starting at 11 pm sharp. There is a wide variety of indie music on offer, from the classics like Fleetwood Mac and New Order to some of the newer indie stars like Wet Leg. It’s everything a group of indie fans could want.
Address: 96-98 Pentonville Road, N1 9JB
7. Prince Charles Cinema Movie All Nighters
The Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square offers the ultimate movie all-nighter in London. Some of their upcoming features include 4 Mystery films and the Barbie movie, an X-Files double feature and Batman + Batman Returns, alongside mystery movie marathons. Bring your comfiest clothes, a toothbrush and some snacks and get ready for the ultimate movie marathon from dusk until dawn. Tickets will vary depending on which film you choose to see but generally are around the £20 per person range.
Address: 7 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BY
8. Pxssy Palace
Pxssy Palace is a nightlife experience that celebrates black, indigenous and people of colour who are women, queer, intersex, trans or non-binary. They don’t have a specific venue, so you can see them popping up at events around London. But, with free/discounted tickets and a free taxi service home for QTBIPOC (Queer & Trans Black Indigenous People of Colour), it is clear that they intend to create a safe and enjoyable nightlife experience.
Address: Various venues around London
9. Bounce Ping Pong
Bounce Ping Pong is another of the go-to fun nights out in London for groups, but that just shows how great it is. Get together with your friends for the ultimate night of ping pong. It’s perfect if you and your friends have a competitive side. Alongside your ping pong experience, you can enjoy some craft cocktails, fresh pizzas and top tunes. While there isn’t a student discount for tickets (though it’s £6 per person), you can get a 20% student discount on food and drink on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays with a valid student ID card.
Address: Various venues around London
10. The Book Club
While the name may deceive you, The Book Club is a super laid-back bar in the middle of Shoreditch. There’s an emphasis on fun and easy drinkability rather than serious, hard drinking. The cocktails have fun names like “Don’t Go To Dalston”. It’s the perfect option if you and your friends want to go out but don’t want somewhere too intense. The Book Club also hosts several different events including comedy shows, social clubs and R&B nights.
Address: 100-106 Leonard Street, EC2A 4RH
So next time you’re stuck on fun night out ideas in London for groups, use our list to make plans that don’t involve hitting the same old bars and clubs. And if you’re looking for other alternative things to do in London, why not consider a silent disco walking tour?
Last Updated on July 11, 2024
Published on November 22, 2023
A student from University of Nottingham.
