London Rooftop Bars: Best Drink Specials and Where to Find Them

If you’re looking for rooftop bars in London, don’t just settle for any sky-high spot. Drink specials make the difference between a good night and a great one. With London prices, finding two-for-one cocktails or off-peak pints can basically double your fun without wrecking your wallet.

Start with the big names: places like Aviary near Finsbury Square or Netil 360 in Hackney. They’re known for offering weekday happy hours, often slicing prices on G&Ts or spritzes right when the city is clocking off. But where you get the biggest savings and the best city views? That’s all about knowing when to go and which nights offer the real bargains.

Here’s a trick—follow your favourite bars on Instagram. London venues love dropping flash deals or limited-time specials in stories, especially when the weather’s suddenly decent. Plus, some rooftops hand out extra discounts if you book tables ahead or visit outside prime Friday nights.

• Why Rooftop Bars Hit Different in London
• Unbeatable Drink Deals: Where and When
• Insider Tips: Making Your Night Out Count
• Hidden Gems Locals Swear By

Why Rooftop Bars Hit Different in London

London isn’t short on pubs, but rooftop bars here play in their own league. When you’re sipping a drink with the Shard on one side and St Paul’s dome in the distance, it turns even regular pint night into something else. London’s skyline is a mashup of old and new—think Victorian chimneys right next to glass towers—which means every rooftop comes with a unique perspective you won’t get anywhere else.

Weather’s another reason. Up on a rooftop, you actually root for a surprise sunny spell—even if it’s only for an hour. The city doesn’t get endless summer days, but when that warm evening hits, rooftop seats go as quick as Glastonbury tickets. Businesses know this and often push happy hour deals when the forecast looks good, just to pull in the early crowd.

What’s cool about London rooftop bars is they attract a real mix: finance folks at Madison near St Paul’s, creatives at Dalston Roof Park, and everyone in between. No punters here just for show—people come for after-work releases, birthdays, and mates catching up far above street-level madness.

Unlike standard bars, rooftops in London almost always mix in food—sometimes full meals, sometimes just banging loaded fries or posh nibbles. And you won’t find many places elsewhere that do rooftop yoga by day, bottomless brunch at noon, and then fill up with DJs and discounted cocktails by night—all in the same spot. That’s a London thing.

Unbeatable Drink Deals: Where and When

Staying ahead in London's rooftop bars scene means knowing which venues do proper drink specials and, most importantly, when to catch them. Let’s get into the concrete details—no guesswork, just the stuff you wish someone told you sooner.

First up, Netil 360 in Hackney is a go-to for affordable drinks with unreal East London views. Happy Hour runs from 4pm to 7pm, Monday to Thursday, with pints and house wines for £4 and selected mixed drinks for £5. Aviary, sitting above Finsbury Square, does 2-for-1 on their signature cocktails every weekday from 4pm to 6pm. Their rooftop garden also doubles up as a sun trap when the weather plays nice.

If you want a true London classic, Queen of Hoxton offers quirky themed cocktails from just £6 during their 5pm to 7pm Happy Hour, Monday to Friday. Keep an eye when their rooftop switches up themes – winter brings igloos, summer means festival vibes, but deals stick around year-round.

Famous West End spot Radio Rooftop isn’t cheap—unless you’re in for their rare midweek "Aperitivo Evenings". These typically run Wednesdays, 5pm to 7pm, where you’ll see selected spritz and small plates paired for under £18, which is actually reasonable for the postcode.

Want your options all in one place? Here’s a quick table you can actually use:

One overlooked tip—go early. You actually get a good table without spending half your night queuing. If you’re with mates, book ahead: a lot of bars will throw in a welcome drink or lock down the Happy Hour once you’re seated, even if the deal time slips by. London does get busy, but a bit of research and timing always pays off here.

Insider Tips: Making Your Night Out Count

Making the most of London rooftop bars is all about planning and a few smart moves. You don’t need a fancy dress code or a huge budget to get a top experience—just a bit of local know-how.

Timing is everything. Most rooftop bars hit their busiest between 6pm and 8pm on Fridays, especially in Central London. If you want cheap drinks and an open table, aim for Monday to Wednesday, or get in early right after work when happy hour usually starts. Here’s when some popular spots run their best deals:

Don’t just check Google Maps—go on the bars’ own socials. Loads of London rooftop bars announce last-minute deals, weather-related pop-ups (sunny day pimms buckets, anyone?), or member-night perks. Signing up for the mailing list at places like Skylight Tobacco Dock can also mean a discount on your first round.

• Most bars ask you to book ahead, especially if you want to dodge the lengthy queue on weekends. Booking online is usually free and saves major hassle.
• Even if it’s summer, bring a jumper. London’s rooftop breezes don’t mess around, and some places (like Radio Rooftop) will only give out heaters on request.
• If you’re splitting bills, use London’s favourite apps like Splitwise or Monzo. That way, nobody gets stuck covering five espresso martinis solo.

Watch out for hidden service charges too—often 12.5%, even on discounted drinks. Plus, some buildings (like the Shard’s rooftop bars) will have separate lifts or security checks, so leave buffer time getting in and out.

If you’re planning a rooftop crawl, stick to one neighbourhood. Shoreditch, Southbank, and the City all have clusters of rooftops within walking distance, making it easy to chase deals without wasting cash on Ubers.

Hidden Gems Locals Swear By

London’s not short on rooftop bars you’ll find all over Instagram, but the locals know where the low-key deals are hiding. It’s not always the tallest or the fanciest spot that’s serving up the best London rooftop bars drink specials either.

Take Bar Elba in Waterloo. During their “Sunset Sessions,” you’ll get half-price prosecco and £5 cocktails between 4pm and 6pm on weekdays. Their retro deckchairs and fairy lights are a bonus, but it’s the wallet-friendly drinks that get people coming back. Car park rooftop Skylight Tobacco Dock in Wapping is another shout. Their midweek drinks menu drops pints to about £5.50, which is rare for Central London.

It pays to check the small print: places like Dalston Roof Park run themed nights with bar snacks and drinks bundled together for less than a tenner. On Tuesdays, their Aperol hour means discounted spritzes—and it’s local DJs spinning, not a soundtrack pulled from Spotify.

If you’re near Peckham, Bussey Rooftop Bar runs a different happy hour every day of the week and often lets locals in free before a certain time. Closer to Shoreditch, Golden Bee offers rooftop entry and two-for-one cocktails at off-peak times, especially on Thursdays, which is when city workers start their weekends early.

Compare these hidden gems and see what you’re saving:

One thing all these places have in common? You’ll want to arrive early. Some deals run out fast, and tables fill up even quicker on sunny evenings. Always check if you need to book online—these rooftops are smaller than the mega-bars but bring just as much atmosphere, with better prices to match.