Guide to activity bars in London

Visit Whistle Punks if you want to try out axe throwing. This modern venue is an axe-throwing centre with a bar to enjoy afterwards. Whatever your level of experience is, you can take part in a tournament, learn trick shots, and then indulge in cocktails, beer, and pizza at the bar.

Play lively table tennis at Bat & Ball. This fun and modern space has a party vibe and combines games with drinks. Compete at ping pong, darts, beer or prosecco pong, pool, or have a go at karaoke. The mouthwatering bar menu includes cocktails, beer, and wine, plus burgers and pizza.

Head to Platform if you're a video games fan. At this bar you can enjoy a 90 minute gaming session in a modern pod, complete with a choice of consoles and games. Food and drinks are available during and after the session, with themed cocktails, tempting pizzas, and bottomless brunch every day.

Remember when you were younger and you loved playing in a ball pit? You can do it again at Ballie Ballerson, and this time there are drinks involved. Frolic amongst the glowing balls or relax in the bar area. There are signature cocktails and pizzas if you need some extra energy.

Enjoy football games and delicious food and drinks at Toca Social. This lively venue welcomes guests of all ages and has private booths for football games, tailored to every level of skill. You can also play foosball and arcade games or use the selfie booth. There's an American-themed food menu plus cocktails.

Clays brings a country tradition to London. You can do virtual clay target shooting on mammoth 4K screens, and order food and drinks to your playing area so there's no disrupting the fun. Food is made for sharing, with options like loaded breads, plus a big choice of drinks.

Enjoy the classic pub game darts but with a stylish contemporary twist at one of Flight Club’s four locations. You’ll get a semi-private booth equipped with a state-of-the-art dartboard. It’s classy but still cosy and comfortable, and there’s a list of inspiring cocktails to help get you in the mood.

Visit Four Quarters to enjoy a drink whilst playing the retro arcade games you remember from back in the day. There are games dating from the late 70s to early 2000s, with favourites like Tekken, Street Fighter, and Ms Pac Man. Live music and comedy events are also on regularly.

Swingers brings together a choice of mini-golf courses, streetfood vendors, bars and private spaces, and a buzzy atmosphere. Inspired by English traditions, the elaborate nine-hole golf courses are full of challenges. There's also a modern food court with a great choice of nibbles, plus drinks for everyone.

Play a variety of games and get competitive at Bounce. These bars are modern neon spaces with lots of entertainment - choose ping pong, wonderball, shuffleboard, or beer pong. Food and drinks are available before, during, and after games, including cocktails, a variety of beers and ciders, and nibbles like pizza and nachos.

Head to Bar Kick whether you want to watch live sport or have a go yourself. The bar is equipped with multiple HD screens for all the sporting action, and there are foosball tables if you want to be a champion. Craft beer and cocktails are served, plus burgers and pub grub.

If you love gaming and want to hang out with likeminded people, don’t miss a trip to Meltdown. This Islington bar is dedicated to electronic gaming, but there are also board games and regular gaming tournaments. There are themed signature cocktails and draft beer, including Meltdown’s own brand of lager.

A visit to Otherworld is a unique bar experience. Think of it as a virtual reality theme park where you explore virtual challenges with wind, heat, and rumbling effects that make it feel real. Moving through this super-modern venue, you'll earn tokens that can be redeemed for drinks at the bar.

Visit Fairgame, London’s adults-only fairground, for an activity bar unlike any other. You can enjoy all the fun of the fair with classic games like shooting ducks and whack-a-mole. Tuck into some streetfood, taste a boozy slushy, cocktail, or local craft beer, and grab some sweets like candyfloss infused with prosecco.

Enjoy cricket, reinvented into a modern bar game at Sixes Social Cricket. It's a welcoming place full of sporting action plus delicious food and drinks. Test your skills with tech-powered cricket games and play arcade games at the Fitzrovia and Fulham locations. There's tempting food, beers, and cocktails, plus a kids' menu.

Get down to London Shuffle Club for food, drinks, and games. This contemporary bar lets you play table shuffle and lane shuffle – whether you’re a total beginner or a bit of a pro, the staff here will help you have a great time. They serve sourdough pizzas and sharing cocktails, plus bottomless brunch.

There’s loads of fun at Plonk. Kick off with nine holes of crazy golf on the outdoor course that's suitable for all ages. The cosy bar serves cocktails, craft beer, and pizza, and there’s bottomless brunch too. You can carry on the fun in the bar with arcade games and board games.

Enjoy a trippy game of mini golf as well as tasty food and drinks at Birdies. Make your way through the surreal golf course's nine holes at these slick and cool venues. Visit the cocktail bar afterwards for wine, craft beer, and cocktails, or to reward yourself with a juicy burger.

There are bar activities for everyone at Boom Battle Bar. Pop along to one of these modern venues to have a go at crazy golf, shuffleboard, ping pong, axe throwing, darts, pool, or beer pong. These lively destinations also serve food and drinks, including pizza, beer, wine, and cocktails.

Experience a unique game of bingo at Hijingo. Inspired by the high-tech bingo halls of Tokyo, this bar presents a multi-sensory experience with lighting, sound effects, live entertainment, and thrilling prizes. You can enjoy Asian-inspired snacks like spring rolls and bao, and drinks whilst you play, or join the bottomless bingo brunch.

Strike is a boutique bowling alley and bar set in the country's oldest brewery. Play ten pin bowling or the lesser-known duckpin game, or go for games like darts and shuffleboard. The venue has a sophisticated clubhouse feel and you can enjoy food and drinks in the bar or as you play.

Inspired by games bars in Tokyo, Loading Bar is a great place to let off some steam with friends. Order a drink, settle in, and choose from the video and board games available. You can stay as long as you like at this laid-back location, with the bar offering games-themed cocktails.

Tons of activities are going on at Escape, creating the potential for some serious fun. Fancy a pub quiz or a quiet night with a board game? You can do that here. Live music performances and open mic nights take place too. There’s a fun atmosphere and a big choice of drinks.

Test your skills or arrange golf lessons at Urban Golf, a sophisticated gold simulator centre with a lounge-style bar. Have fun with some rounds of golf before relaxing on a leather sofa in the bar. Try out craft beer, wine, or cocktails, and choose from the tapas menu if you're hungry.

Draughts transforms the humble board game into peak excitement. This place is modern and has food and drinks to go with your favourite games. Thousands of games are on the shelves so there's always something new to discover. The menu ranges from classic cocktails to draft beer, plus there are burgers and tacos.

Discover the thrill of shuffleboard at Electric Shuffle. Book a semi-private space for playing games and enjoying tasty food and drink or explore the different bar areas available. Food is designed for sharing, with options like platters, small plates, and pizza. The drinks list includes cocktails plus beer, wine, and spirits.

Try the classic French game pétanque at Baranis. This labyrinth-like space is full of exposed brick and vibrant bursts of colour, plus artwork that adds to the mood. The venue has the country's only indoor pétanque court, plus a bar with a huge choice of wine, absinthe, and other drinks, plus food.

Enjoy drinks and a creative activity at The London Art Bar. Explore your artistic side at one of the guided painting sessions whilst relaxing with a drink in hand. There are also sessions for unguided painting where you can work on your own masterpiece. The drinks list includes wine and cocktails.

There's loads to do at The Four Thieves. This modern destination is full of neon and has heaps of activities. Expect the conventional like comedy nights and karaoke as well as distinctive options like VR and arcade gaming and the moonshine raceway. The bar has a full range of drinks plus Med-inspired food.

At ABQ you cook up your own cocktails using exciting molecular techniques. Inspired by TV's Breaking Bad, this unique immersive experience involves donning a hazmat suit and making cocktails in one of two spaces. You can expect lively music and a fun atmosphere. You can also visit for drinks without the experience.

Play nine holes of crazy golf in a course spread over two floors at Shoreditch Balls. This place is slick and modern with a lively atmosphere and cool music. At the bar you can enjoy pizza and a big choice of drinks. There are DJ sets on Saturdays too.

Cahoots is a cocktail bar with a distinctive blitz spirit. You can drop in just for drinks but the bar has its own escape room experience. Solve puzzles, unlock cocktail recipes, and finish with a cocktail-making masterclass before enjoying the spoils. Other activities like live music and cocktail tastings go on too.

Explore a dystopian escape room experience with cocktails along the way at The Grid. Work your way through futuristic rooms at this sci-fi-themed experience, working undercover and earning unique cocktails as you go. Larger groups are welcome here and you can also buy gift vouchers for the experience.

Drinking at Alcotraz Cell Block Two-One-Two is a wholly unique experience. There’s no liquor for sale – you’ll have to bring your own but the challenge is sneaking it past the prison warden. Put on an orange jumpsuit, pass through the metal detector, and then enjoy custom cocktails made with your smuggled alcohol.

NQ64, a group of retro gaming bars that can be found in major cities around the country, lets you and your mates compete at different classic arcade and console games, for example Mario Kart, Double Dragon, dance-off games, and Guitar Hero. If you're finding things too easy for your leet skills, amp up the difficulty setting with the help of craft beers and themed signature cocktails.

Bermondsey Bierkeller brings Oktoberfest to London with authentic beer, oompah bands, and games to play. The venue is cavernous and cosy with communal tables and German slogans on the walls. Get a stein, soak up the atmosphere or visit the games vault - you can try your hand at shuffleboard, pool, darts, table football, or ping pong.

With a staggering 60 full-motion racing simulators, F1 Arcade is the ultimate destination for Formula 1 enthusiasts seeking an exciting bar experience. This high-tech social gaming venue provides diverse racing challenges and competitions suitable for all skill levels, all while offering a menu of delicious food and cocktails. In addition, F1 Arcade is the ideal spot for official F1 Grand Prix watch parties and can be reserved for private events.

Near London Bridge, Hop Kingdom is a unique venue that's part skatepark part bar. You can visit this modern spot just for drinks but if you're paying to skate you get a drink for free. The indoor skate set-ups feature a range of challenging elements. Private skating lessons, adult beginner skating sessions, and equipment rental are all available.

Get competitive with a game of darts at 180 Club in Camden. This place has a fun party atmosphere and there are a variety of darts games with digital scoreboards to try out. Cocktails are the speciality and there are plenty of mixes to choose from. If you're hungry, check out the food menu of small plates and burgers.