The 10 Best Darts Pubs in London for 2025

London’s darts pub scene is in better shape than you might think. Yes, boards are disappearing from pubs across the city, but the venues that remain are often brilliant — dedicated, well-maintained, and full of character. We have visited dozens of pubs over the past year and these are the ten that stood out.

1. The Nightingale, Balham

Our top pick for 2025 is a Grade II listed Victorian pub tucked away on Nightingale Lane beside Wandsworth Common. The Nightingale has everything you want from a London darts pub: a proper community atmosphere, Young’s ales on tap, a hidden beer garden, and some of the best Sunday roasts in south London. Built in 1853, it wears its 170-plus years beautifully. The dartboard here means you can combine a quality throw with a genuinely excellent afternoon out. It is the kind of pub that makes you wonder why you do not live in Balham.

2. The Horseshoe, Clerkenwell

No list of London’s best darts pubs would be complete without The Horseshoe. Nine boards across two floors, a hidden garden, and the atmosphere of a proper pub rather than a darts warehouse. The downstairs feels like a genuine local; upstairs is purpose-built for group sessions. Book ahead during peak hours — the word is well and truly out.

3. The Cheshire Cheese, Tower Hill

The Cheshire Cheese has invested properly in darts. Three Blade 6 boards in a recently refurbished room with laser oches and dedicated lighting. You can book online or by phone, and the setup rivals anything in London. If you care about board quality and throwing conditions, this is where you go.

4. Nolans, Vauxhall

Three boards, league teams most evenings, regular competitions, and a trophy collection that spans decades. Nolans is everything a community darts pub should be. Run by the Nolan family, it is friendly, unpretentious, and completely dedicated to the game. The drinks are reasonably priced and the welcome is warm. If you want to see what grassroots London darts culture really looks like, this is it.

5. The Chandos, Covent Garden

Possibly the best-value darts experience in central London. The Chandos is a Sam Smith’s pub just off Trafalgar Square with a tucked-away darting oasis on the ground floor. The board area is separate enough from the main bar that you can throw in peace even when the pub is heaving. Combined with Sam Smith’s pricing, a session here costs remarkably little for a pub this central.

6. The Windmill, Waterloo

An almost perfect oche in a fabulous pub on what might be London’s quietest high street. The Windmill is the kind of place where you walk in alone and end up sharing a pizza with a stranger. The setup just works — good board, good space, good atmosphere. One of our favourite discoveries of the year.

7. The Carpenters Arms, Edgware Road

Hidden away on Seymour Place, The Carpenters Arms is one of central London’s finest darts pubs and a regular coaching venue. The board sits in a dedicated area at the back with proper space to throw. Despite being incredibly central, it avoids the tourist crowds. A genuine gem that serious players return to again and again.

8. The Ship, Aldgate

A warm and cheery pub in the heart of the City with two dartboards in an upstairs room fitted with new lighting. The Ship has the feel of a proper local despite its EC3 postcode. The ground floor is usually packed, but upstairs you can find space for a proper session. One of the best options for after-work darts in the Square Mile.

9. The Libertine, Borough

The Libertine on Great Suffolk Street has one of central London’s most complete darts setups. Dedicated raised oche, electronic scoreboard, house darts available, and good lighting. League teams play here and the pub is regularly used as a coaching venue. If you care about throwing conditions, The Libertine delivers.

10. Spots and Stripes, Waterloo

Not a pub in the traditional sense, but Spots and Stripes earns its place here by offering six boards in conditions built for focused play. The entrance does not look like much, but inside the setup is excellent and regularly fully booked by early evening. If you want to practise seriously without pub distractions, this is the place.

Honourable mentions

A few more pubs that nearly made the list and are well worth visiting: The Barley Mow in Marylebone for its darts league and 230 years of history, The Wenlock Arms in Hoxton for real ales and real atmosphere, and The Boot near King’s Cross for its welcoming vibe and surging popularity.

Know a pub we should have included? Drop us a line.