Our selection of the best Camden Town bars

The Spirited is our pick for the year-round rooftop bar. Located at Buck Street Camden Market, we like that The Spirited is above the touristy chaos of Camden High Street.

Before The Spirited settled roots in Camden, the company travelled up and down the country in converted horse trailers, championing local craft alcohol. These days, it’s a solid spot for cocktails and drinks across a spacious rooftop.

Ideal for private events, the bar offers classic cocktails and a signature menu inspired by cinema - make no mistake, the cocktail names go down well with cinephiles. Our rec? Do yourself a favour and order the Cool Runnings.

The Camden Eye pub is at the fork separating Kentish Town and Camden roads and directly across from Camden Town station. Its location is also ideal for easy transitions between Camden Town tube and Camden Road Overground.

You would think that being right next to a notoriously busy tube station, this bar would be a tourist-heavy spot, and though you will spot a few, we like the Camden Eye for being a reliably good option for meeting pals in Camden.

Phat Camden runs the kitchen here, dishing up their signature phat subs – and we’d be remiss not to say this is a reason to visit, along with the chill atmosphere. Beers, cocktails, subs, and gigs – the pub’s a good’un.

BYOB has been around for – well, forever, we would imagine. It was only a matter of time before somebody thought up bring-your-own-cocktails. BYOC Camden’s bartenders mix up cocktail concoctions based on the bottles of spirits you bring with you.

The concept adds to their speakeasy vibe and decor, with poker-light chandeliers and tables repurposed from roulette tables. We like that BYOC offers something different and that it actually feels like a speakeasy when you have to rock up with your own booze.

And with a capacity for 55 bootleggers, it’s a great spot for exclusive private hire. Go on, don your flapper dresses and zoot suits, you rebels.

Chic and neon-accented, the jewel tones of Legacy Camden - The Camden lean into the nightclub vibe. The spacious ground-floor reception area isn't just popular with late-night Camden revellers, it's also available for private hire for the most exclusive of parties with a capacity of 350 guests. Party cocktails, bar bites, and DJs late into the night, if you're looking for a party vibe for an event in North London, check out Legacy Camden.

The Farrier, located within Camden Market, resides in a stunningly restored Grade II listed former horse hospital and stables building. Inside, the decor is rustic, with exposed brick walls and rough wooden tables. A great private hire spot that can accommodate up to 60 for food and drinks.

The Farrier is relaxed, laid-back, and a welcome respite from the madness of Camden High Sreet. Worth a visit for some of the best food you’ll find in Camden Town, with a regularly changing menu full of seasonal ingredients and British produce.

The Farrier also boasts a wine store featuring biodynamic and organic wines – that sounds all fancy but basically translates to, 'Oh, the High Street has given you a headache? Here, buy some wine.'

It’s pretty hard to miss the Lock Tavern; it’s a traditional yellow brick three-storey building with a very visible roof terrace on Chalk Farm Road. The pub/cocktail bar is our pick of Camden bars for the steady crowd-pleaser.

Exposed brick interior, cosy decor, fireplaces, a roof terrace, and a beer garden – you’ll be hardpressed to find somebody who will object to a round at this Camden bar. Lest we forget, their Sunday Roast should also get a notable mention.

We like the lively atmosphere – even better when a gig is on, and for a place that looks like a traditional pub on the outside, they still do a mean cocktail.

It feels like most pubs in Camden can boast great musical connections, and The Hawley Arms is no exception. However, we chose the Hawley Arms for our list not because of its famous patrons but because we think it’s a great wee pub.

Just 10 minutes down the road from Camden Town station makes a big difference in the clientele and atmosphere of this bar. It’s relaxed, has character, and the team behind the bar genuinely loves what they do.

The handsome brick building with a walled garden and upstairs terrace is popular with Camden locals mostly for its vibe and gigs, but let it be known the pub does a good Sunday Roast that won’t break the bank.

The Camden Head is located on the High Street between Camden Town and Mornington Crescent tube stations. This Camden bar resides in an 18th-century building, but instead of leaning into its historic setting, it opts for understated – actually, it’s not much to look at on the outside.

Not much to look at is why we like it; it's the kind of dive bar to be passed up by Camden’s many tourists. The pub is home to the Camden Comedy Club, which is one reason to go, certainly. But then, the gigs here are also great.

The kitchen at the Camden Head is run by Smoke 'N' Buns, known for their juicy burgers. Although we don’t fully buy into burgers served in a bell jar full of smoke, they are damn good. We recommend the Original - a loaded bacon cheeseburger – with a side of onion rings (and a pint to go with it, obviously).

Yeah, we unironically used the word groove; what? It’s cool now and it adequately describes Lockside – bar ambience and a dance floor experience. There are events on weekends, with resident DJs playing House, Tech-house, Minimal, and Deep House beats.

Even if you don’t go for a night of dancing, the lockside views and expansive outdoor terrace are what earned the Lockside a place on our list. Craft beers, cocktails, views, and dancing; we don’t need much else, we’re people of simple pleasures.

We love that the owners of this pub had the cheek to name it after an incredibly common mispronunciation of Edinburgh Castle. The pub is nowhere near Scotland but rubs elbows with Regent’s Park, which just confuses tourists even more, and we love it.

Inside, the Edinboro Castle is spacious, with some snazzy lighting fixtures on display, but it retains a relaxed atmosphere. The reason we like this Camden bar, however, (other than its name) is the massive beer garden. It’s a top spot to grab a pint or two after a stroll through the park.

We’re not entirely sure why this Camden Town bar is named after a 1950 melodrama starring Bette Davis (featuring one of Marilyn Monroe’s first on-screen moments), but cinephiles that we are, we like it.

All About Eve is located a stone's throw from Camden Market, and it’s a 1950s-inspired cocktail bar and entertainment venue. Its decor pays homage to the era of the Hollywood film it's named after, featuring quirky, kitsch elements and a classic cocktail menu.

If we had to choose a 1950s Bette Davis film to name our cocktail bar after, we would have gone with Another Man’s Poison, but we still have to give kudos to All About Eve for doing what they do and doing it well.

The Lucky Club has two sides: in spring and summer it goes in for tropical oasis, and in autumn and winter it transforms into a wintry garden adorned in twinkling lights.

This venue is a top pick for events and parties, with a capacity of 150 for an event, or a private dining experience in the “cabin” that seats up to 15, The Lucky Club offers vibes, cocktails, tasty eats, and a dedicated team to help you acquire whatever else you may need for special occasion.

The rooftop bar is spacious, filled with lush plants in summer, and heated and decked out in cosy lights and candles in winter. The decor always has a strong theme, but manages a good balance so it never feels gimmicky – and that’s hard to do in our opinion.