Bars
The 6 Best Bars in Camden
Camden after dark: the rum shacks, canalside taprooms, music bars and rooftops that have always done a London night out a little louder.
In short: our top picks are Fifty-Five, The Blues Kitchen and Cottons. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Camden does not do hushed cocktail lounges, and it is better for it. This is a neighbourhood built on live music, market crowds and a stubborn refusal to behave, where the drinking happens above railway arches, beside the canal and inside pubs that still smell faintly of legend. The bars below earn their keep on character as much as craft. Come for a proper crawl, not a quiet one.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Fifty-Five | Camden | £££ |
| The Blues Kitchen | Camden | £££ |
| Cottons | Camden | ££ |
| 3 Locks Brewing Company | Camden | ££ |
| The Lock Tavern | Camden | ££ |
| The Hawley Arms | Camden | ££ |
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Editor’s choice
Fifty-Five
Why we pick itA Camden stalwart of more than a decade, with a menu running past 190 cocktails, generous happy hours and a buzzing, unpretentious crowd across two floors.
two-floor cocktail bar
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The Blues Kitchen
Why we pick itLive blues, soul and funk play until late every night while the bar pours bourbon-led cocktails and slings barbecue, with the kitchen and stage running together past midnight.
music bar, cocktails
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Cottons
Why we pick itA Chalk Farm institution since 1985, this Caribbean rum shack stocks over 300 rums and mixes them into proper cocktails, with DJs bringing weekend energy.
Caribbean rum bar
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3 Locks Brewing Company
Why we pick itA small-batch brewery and taproom under the Hawley Wharf arches, brewing on site, with a terrace looking straight out over Regent's Canal.
canalside craft taproom
-
The Lock Tavern
Why we pick itA two-floor Chalk Farm Road institution with a grand main bar, a candle-lit cocktail room and a rooftop terrace above the Camden Market crowds.
pub bar, rooftop terrace
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The Hawley Arms
Why we pick itThe Camden pub Amy Winehouse made her local, rebuilt after the 2008 fire, still drawing locals and bands to its upstairs bar and roof terrace.
characterful music pub
Before you book
Camden Town is the obvious tube, though Chalk Farm sits closer to the Chalk Farm Road end and saves you the high-street crush. Most places run on walk-ins, so just turn up; the exceptions are weekend tables at The Blues Kitchen and Cottons, worth booking ahead. Weekends get heaving by 9pm, so arrive early if you want a seat.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
Fifty-Five is our editor's choice: A Camden stalwart of more than a decade, with a menu running past 190 cocktails, generous happy hours and a buzzing, unpretentious crowd across two floors. Fifty-Five, The Blues Kitchen and Cottons lead the guide, with 6 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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