Best Cheap Pubs London

When you’re looking for a real London pub, a traditional British drinking spot with character, community, and often a pint under £5. Also known as alehouse, it’s not just a place to drink—it’s where stories are traded, friendships are made, and the city’s soul stays alive after dark. Forget tourist traps with £12 pints and plastic stools. The best cheap pubs London has to offer are the ones locals know by heart, the ones with sticky floors, mismatched chairs, and bartenders who remember your name after one visit.

These spots aren’t just about price—they’re about vibe. A London pub, a social hub where music, conversation, and beer flow equally often doubles as a live music venue, a quiz night hotspot, or even a quiet corner for reading. You’ll find them tucked into side streets near Brixton, tucked behind market stalls in Camden, or tucked under railway arches in Peckham. They don’t need neon signs. Their reputation is written in the chalkboard menus and the regulars who show up every Thursday.

What makes a pub truly cheap in London? It’s not just the cost of a pint—it’s the value. A £4.50 bitter that tastes like it was brewed just for you. A plate of chips with gravy that costs less than your coffee at Starbucks. A back room where a local band plays blues on a Tuesday night for free. These are the places that don’t charge for atmosphere because the atmosphere is the point. You won’t find velvet ropes or bottle service here. You’ll find people laughing over darts, arguing about football, or just sitting in silence with a pint, watching the rain hit the window.

Some of these pubs have been around since the 1800s. Others opened last year in a converted laundromat. But they all share one thing: they’re not trying to impress you. They’re just trying to serve you a good drink and a warm space. That’s why they’re still standing while fancy cocktail bars come and go.

If you’ve ever walked past a pub in London and thought, "That looks like the kind of place I’d like to sit in," you’re probably right. The London nightlife, the pulse of the city after sunset, built on pubs, music, and real human connection doesn’t live in the glitzy clubs on the West End. It lives in the corner pub where the jukebox plays Bowie, the barkeep knows your order, and the beer is cold even when the heater’s broken.

Below, you’ll find real recommendations from people who’ve been there—pubs where you can drink well, eat well, and still have cash left for the bus home. No fluff. No gimmicks. Just the kind of places that make London feel like home, even if you just got off the train.