I promise that I will eventually get to a sight seeing portion of this London section but in my opinion you can figure out where to go based on just about any guide book you pick up but not all will tell you about the smallest most fabulous pub in all of London!
This will be divided into two sections because going out to a pub and going out dancing are two completely different things in London (a pub is not really the same as an American bar, while you are still likely to get drunk it is a completely different experience).
First pubs. They are great any time of day (I know people who have been in at 11 am on a Saturday) and great to stop off and rest your feet in (the way most American's would in a Starbucks or some other coffee joint when sightseeing back home). While it is pretty much impossible to not find a pub in London to visit you must be weary of the chain pubs (Weatherspoons, Llyods... ). While a lot of them can just be cheap pubs that cater to tourists, if you stick to this list you are bound to have some authentic pub experiences.
First as mentioned in the previous entry is the Cheshire Cheese on Fleet St (about half way between St Pauls and the Courts). It is hidden down a side alley so look for the lantern on the street with the name on it. This is a Sam Smith's pub only so you will not get a London Pride or Fosters here. Regardless Sam Smith's makes good beer (try the Alpine lager) and is worth a go.
Another Sam Smith's pub is the Anchor tap in Butler's Wharf. It has an equally old England feel about it and the staff are lovely. The manager Jason is particularly hilarious. It is located within easy walking distance of both the Tower Bridge and Tower Hill so great for a stop off post sight seeing. Also I am convinced that Craig Ferguson referenced this pub in his autobiography when he spoke of his near attempt of suicide.
Another great pub that is a little out of the way is the Kings Arm on Tooley St. (London Bridge tube station) It is a real locals pub with an interesting Bermondsey crowd to go with it. There is a theme almost every night of the week (such as the night where you can play your own ipod music) and aside from having a great beer selection has really good food (my personal favorite is Saturday brunch). If you are there at the beginning of the month see if they are doing their themed bingo night, it is worth it!
There are several fabulous pubs near the borough market but the one that stands out is possibly the smallest pub in all of London called The Rake. While the pub may be tiny their beer selection is not (as an American I could find Sierra Nevada and Sam Adams there, meanwhile my boyfriend had a beer that was well over 12% once). Any beer enthusiast really ought to go.
While not really a British pub, the Katzenjammers Bierkeller near borough market is also worth a visit. It is one of the only places in London I am aware of that you can get beer in a stein.
Finally if you are insistent on going somewhere in the tourist center for a drink such as Leicester square (pronounced Lester sq so you don't make anyone laugh at you while asking for directions). Waxy O'Connors is a novelty worth going to. It is a huge Irish pub with a giant fake tree in the middle that often has live music. http://www.waxys.com/
Now if you are looking for a place to go out and dance in London I have two major pieces of advice, the first is to be prepared to shell out and queue up (I hardly ever actually see girls get to cut the line) and two please whatever you do, no matter how cool the hostel posters make it sound, avoid Zoobar (unless you are 17 and looking to get groped by old men). Also while London is full of famous clubs (Cafe de Paris, Funky Buddha, Chinawhite) the drinks are often over priced (think £15 for a cocktail) and a lot of them play really bad music (if you are a drum and base fan I apologize for insulting your music). That being said it is still possible to have an affordable night out in London.
To begin your night out I recommend Jewel bar in Covent garden. They are insanely anal about when happy hour ends (they once accused a friend of setting her watch back) but their happy hour prices are really good. Sugar Reef in Piccadilly also used to be great for such deals but I hear it has gone down hill since becoming 'Grace'. Once you are done with happy hour I would recommend heading to the clubs early; entry is usually free or cheap before ten pm on Fridays and 9pm on Saturdays and surprisingly there are usually already a decent number of people inside. Roadhouse in Covent Garden is hands down the best place to go out in London (they also have an on line guest list which can help save on entry fee). There is a mix of both live music and a dj at this place every night and is perfect for dancing. In fact I have never had someone go to Roadhouse and hate it. Other decent places include both Guanabara and Club Salsa (both Tottenham court road area).
Electric bird cage (now called Pep-C) is also fantastic (as long as you are not drinking) it is really funky inside and has free entry up until a certain point.
The biggest tourist trap of all (but kind of worth going) is the Smirnoff Icebar in Piccadilly. When I went your entry fee got you a free drink and unlimited amount of time in the Ice bar. It has become so popular that they now have time slots. However if you have never sat on ice chairs and drank out of a cup made of ice it might be worth indulging the novelty.
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