20 Of The Very Best Nightclubs In London To Dance The Night Away (2023)

After long-enforced closures due to venue capacity limits and social distancing rules – *ahem* hello 2020 and 2021 – nightclubs in London are finally back with a big and booming bang. So time to get the rave gear on, the party glitter out and let loose on the dancefloor.

Whether you’re coming to the capital for a crazy weekend or simply fancy re-visiting some of your favourite venues in the city, here is your guide to staying up ’till the wee hours in London.

1. fabric

Location: Farringdon | Capacity: 1,600

The first entry on this list of the best nightclubs in London is one of the city’s most famous spots. fabric officially opened in October, 1999 – just in time to begin serving a new millennium of ravers from all around the world. The Farringdon-based club was conceived by people that go to clubs, for people that go to clubs.

The legendary space boasts three separate rooms: two with stages for live acts, one with a ‘bodysonic’ vibrating dancefloor (yep, really), and all with their own independent sound systems – allowing clubbers to feel the music through their skeletons, via their ears, and even their feet!

Expect everything from techno, disco, electro, and minimal house here through to drum & bass, dubstep, deep house, grime and other bass-heavy sounds. Over 19’s can visit Friday through Sunday, because fabric is ‘never not making noise‘.

You’ll find fabric at 77a Charterhouse Street, London, EC1M 6HJ. Nearest station is Farringdon.

2. Printworks

Location: Rotherhithe | Capacity: 6,000

No photo quite captures the sheer length of this uniquely-shaped venue, and it has rapidly achieved popular status since it first opened in 2017. Once home to the largest printing factory in Western Europe, the original aesthetics, giant machines and printing presses have been preserved to create a stunning, industrial environment for a dynamic array of events.

Printworks‘ award-winning music series showcases the best live and electronic music, becoming a vital part of London’s vibrant cultural scene amongst young people today.

You’ll find Printworks at Surrey Quays Road, London, SE16 7PJ. Neareststation is Surrey Quays.

3. Magazine

Location: Greenwich Peninsula | Capacity: 3,000, but can extend outdoors to accommodate a further 7,000

Launched in 2019 by the team behind Printworks, Magazineis a purpose-built venue and the largest of its kind in London, boasting a 3,000 capacity interior which can extend to accommodate a further 7,000 people across the venue’s outdoor showground.

Located in the heart of Greenwich Peninsula, it offers breath-taking views of the glistening skyscrapers of Canary Wharf, which makes for a truly magical end of your night/start of your morning, as the sun rises above this beautiful modern venue. This one is truly unique and a worthy entry onto this list of the best nightclubs in London we feel.

You’ll find Magazine at 11 Ordnance Crescent, London, SE10 0JH. Nearest station is North Greenwich.

4. Egg

Location: King’s Cross St Pancras | Capacity: 1,000

Based in an old victorian warehouse and another legend of the nightclubs in London scene, Egg has a 24-hour licence so you can party ‘all night long‘, just like Lionel Richie. Expect Big Nights Out every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, with DJs spinning everything from hip-hop to deep house and everything in between. Party on.

You’llfind Egg at 200 York Way, London, N7 9AX. Nearest station is King’s Cross St Pancras.

5. Tobacco Dock

Location: Tobacco Quay, Wapping | Capacity: 10,000

Over two centuries, this Grade 1-listed venue has worn many different identities. Starting in 1812 as a hub for wine, (unsurprisingly) tobacco, and other precious cargo arriving from the New World, Tobacco Dock originally spanned across 70 whole acres.

Listed timbers and curved brick vaults have witnessed trade deals, a tiger attack, sleep deprivation challenges and Victorian tasting days. It has even lived as a storage facility and a shopping centre, and now? It plays host to some of the most unforgettable club nights.

Having scooped many local and national awards over the years, it is pretty much guaranteed you will have an amazing night at Tobacco Dock when the DJs are doing their thing. They’ve also got the great bar Skylight here, which offers fantastic panoramic views of London.

You’ll find Tobacco Dock at Tobacco Quay, Wapping Lane, London, E1W 2SF.Nearest station is Shadwell.

6. XOYO

Location: Shoreditch | Capacity: 800

Appropriately located in the quirky and charismatic borough of Shoreditch, XOYO spans across two floors, with a killer sound system that has defined the club as a late-night destination for party-goers across the city.

Their quarterly residency series has seen the likes of Heidi, Bicep and Jackmaster DJ every weekend for three months, and there is no doubt they have more of the world’s biggest, talented and most loved DJs lined up for future gigs. Mike Skinner is next on the bill – need we say more?

You’ll find XOYO at 32-37 Cowper Street, London, EC2A 4AP. Nearest station is Old Street.

7. Ministry of Sound

Location: Elephant & Castle | Capacity: 1,600

The first night at Ministry of Sound consisted of no alcohol, three flashing lights, and moody security, who— unless you knew the names of at least half-a-dozen Chicago house DJs — were never going to let you through their prison-like gates.

You may be surprised to hear that the night was a success, and within weeks, anyone who was anyone on the London club scene had heard about this new spot that had landed in the centre of the city.

30 years later, this former bus garage is still putting sound at the forefront of everything as ‘the home of dance music‘. World-class DJ talent is divided between four rooms, but head to The Box to experience the world’s first room in a nightclub built purely for exceptional sound quality.

You’ll findMinistryofSound at 103 Gaunt Street, London, SE1 6DP. Nearest station is Elephant and Castle.

8. Corsica Studios

Location: Elephant & Castle | Capacity: 500

Found nestled within two railway arches in Elephant and Castle – just actually down the road from Ministry of Sound – Corsica Studios is a real hidden underground gem. Recently awarded the ‘Best of British 2019’ Small Club of the Year by DJ Mag, this epic spot hosts a range of different club nights and events, ranging from all-night techno parties to live alt-rock gigs.

You’ll find Corsica Studios at 4–5 Elephant Road, London, SE17 1LB. Nearest station is Elephant and Castle.

9. Village Underground

Location: Shoreditch | Capacity: 1,000

A creative, cultural hub made of four Jubilee line tube carriages and two shipping containers, hoisted into position on top of an old railway viaduct next to an old Victorian warehouse. Does it get any more London than that?

Village Underground opened back in 2007, creating an affordable space for creative people to take advantage of, and making their entrance into the arts that bit easier. A brilliant story to match a really brilliant club we say!

You’ll find Village Underground at 54 Holywell Lane, London, EC2A 3PQ. Nearest station is Shoreditch High Street.

10. E1

Location: Wapping | Capacity: 1,600

When a club’s launch night consists of a 27-hour party on New Year’s Eve, you know it’s going to be the start of something very special. Though this set the bar high, every event since this final night of 2017 has more than lived up to expectation.

They’ve got a Full Fat sound system (yep really that’s its name) that spreads across two rooms (plus one room for chilling), and that sees clubbers all the way through ’til the 7am licence finish. If you’re looking to really party hard, then E1 is a pretty good bet.

You’ll find E1 at Unit 2, 110 Pennington Street, London, E1W 2BB. Nearest station is Shadwell.

11. Electric Brixton

Location: Brixton | Capacity: 1,700

Once known as The Ace, then The Fridge, and now Electric Brixton. A one million pound facelift gave itan amazing stage with unsurpassed sight-lines, making it the perfect venue for large scale music events in the cool and cultured borough of Brixton. They’ve got all manner of things on the bill here – including live gigs – so see what takes your fancy and strap in for a night to remember.

You’ll find Electric Brixton at Town Hall Parade, Brixton Hill, London, SW2 1RJ. Nearest station is Brixton.

12. Brixton Jamm

Location: Brixton | Capacity: 600

From an 18th century travellers’ inn, to the Ye Old White Horse pub in the 19th century, and finally a wild music venue throwing parties for the past decade. Having hosted everyone from Hot Chip, Skepta, Massive Attack and Basement Jaxx to Adele, MGMT and Happy Mondays, Brixton Jamm is clearly a pretty awesome space. Oh, and it has a banging outdoor terrace too!

You’ll find Brixton Jamm at 261 Brixton Rd, Myatts Field South, London, SW9 6LH. Nearest stations are Brixton and Stockwell.

13. FOLD

Location: Canning Town | Capacity: 600

A former printing plant turned artist-led, community-driven nightclub and arts space with one room, one bar, and one smoking area in the Canning Town area of London.

You can generally expect heavy techno and electro vibes at FOLD, but this changes throughout the night. They also have weekend-long sets and one-off events, so head to their website for more details.

You’ll find FOLD at Gillian House, Stephenson Street, London, E16 4SA. Nearest station is Canning Town.

14. The Pickle Factory

Location: Cambridge Heath | Capacity: 150

Luckily the vinegary smell has now faded and this old industrial space has been converted into one of London’s vibiest clubbing venues. The Pickle Factory occasionally joins forces with owners across the road at Oval Space to run huge nights across both venues.

You’llfind The Pickle Factory at 13-14 The Oval, E2 9DU. Nearest stations are Bethnal Green and Cambridge Heath.

15. Phonox

Location: Brixton | Capacity: 550

This next one really is a great addition to our nightclubs in London. Fridays at Phonox are simple: one dance floor, one great soundsystem, DJs all bloody night long. Mantra on Saturdays are co-presented by music legends Skinny Macho, Bossy LDN, Tommy Gold, and P-Rallel playing on rotation every week (but keep your eye out for collabs and very special guests to boot too).

Sundays bring a schedule of selectors that have been hand-picked to provide the perfect Sunday soundtrack, digging a little bit deeper to find acts that celebrate the true diversity of global dance music.

You’ll find Phonox at 418 Brixton Road, London, SW9 7AY. Nearest station is Brixton.

16.Studio 338

Location: North Greenwich | Capacity: 3,000

As the proud owners of one of the largest terrace arenas in the whole of Europe – which is even heated during the winter months – there’s certainly a lot to shout about at Studio 388. And you may need to shout here, as when the club’s full you’ll be dancing alongside 3,000 other ravers! Did we also mention they’ve got cannons, giant LED screens and an ‘Octopus’ lighting system? It really has to be seen to be believed…

Their summer programme launches in April, and you can pretend you’re dancing under the sun in Ibiza with their ‘Space Spring Fiesta’ and ‘Sankeys Summer Bank Holiday’ events. Keep your eyes peeled though as they don’t just play electronic music here – their bespoke VOID sound system also pumps out old-school garage and hip-hop, drum and bass, acid house and even 90s trance depending on the event and the DJs playing.

You’ll find Studio 388 at 338 Boord Street, London, SE10 0PF. Nearest station is North Greenwich.

17.Heaven

Location: Charing Cross | Capacity: 1,625

One of the best-known, most historic gay clubs in London stationed up in this iconic Charing Cross spot, situated in the arches right below the… well, station. From opening up in 1979 to hosting acid house nights in the 1980s and becoming a world-renowned super club that rivalled the likes of New York’s The Saint, it’s certainly earned its more-than-legendary status.

Heaven can hold over 1,500 people each night, and hosts both live gigs and club nights, boasting past performers such as A-ha, Dua Lipa, Madonna, Pet Shop Boys, Charli XCX (pictured), a pole-dancing Adele, drag queens aplenty plus many more. You better believe it’ll always be full to the brim – make sure you arrive early to guarantee you get in.

You’ll find Heaven at The Arches, Villiers Street, London, WC2N 6NG. Nearest station is Charing Cross.

18. Oval Space

Location: Cambridge Heath | Capacity: 1,000

Billed as ‘one of London’s foremost cultural institutions sitting at the intersection of music, arts and entertainment’, East London’s Oval Spaceis a strong contender for being one of the best nightclubs in London. Sister venue to the much more intimate Pickle Factory mentioned above, this cavernous spot has seen everyone from Peggy Gou and Jodie Harsh to Gilles Peterson and Floating Points play here.

It’s easy to see why. With a vast interior, a banging sound system and two outdoor terraces overlooked by two disused gasworks just off Hackney Road, it’s a sweet spot that has held many an epic night. Come here during the summer months and when the DJs are spinning at sunset, you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in town.

You’ll find Oval Space at 29–32 The Oval, Cambridge Heath, London, E2 9DT. Nearest stations are Bethnal Green and Cambridge Heath.

19.Studio 9294

Location: Hackney Wick | Capacity: 1,000

Our penultimate entry on this roundup of the best nightclubs in London is another warehouse-style spot – this time right by the canal in fashionable Hackney Wick. Adorned with intricate street art and two, 70-metre-long murals, Studio 9294is fairly hard to miss and has certainly made waves since it first opened in early 2018.

With two industrial-sized spaces, one long canalside terrace overlooking Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and an accompanying bar, it’s a really great space to dance the day and night away – particularly as the sun sets over the canal here too. They hold regular club nights – keep a lookout on their website for further details – as well as exhibitions, workshops, gigs and much more besides.

You’ll find Studio 9294 at 92 Wallis Road, London, E9 5LN. Nearest station is Hackney Wick.

20. Venue MOT Unit 18

Location: South Bermondsey | Capacity: 350

The final addition to this roundup of the best nightclubs in London is one of the city’s most recent venues, only swinging open its doors back in April 2018. It’s got an ‘illegal rave in Berlin’ sort of vibe and is tucked away in an abandoned car garage overlooking Millwall F.C. in South Bermondsey.

This is quite possibly the place in town to come if you prefer raving to ‘exciting and experimental music that pushes boundaries’. It’s fairly hard to find, fairly secretive and there’s no signage outside, but that’s all part of the charm. With a 7am licence, an eclectic lineup of DJs and some of the best sound systems you’ll find anywhere in the capital, Venue MOT Unit 18certainly stands out from the crowd.

You’ll find Venue MOT Unit 18 at Orion Business Centre, Surrey Canal Road, London, SE14 5RT. Nearest station is South Bermondsey.

Tags:clubbing, disco music, drum and bass, edm, hard party, hardcore electronic music, Hip hop, house music, reggaeton, social drinking, techno, uk garage