London, United Kingdom
London hookups: jazz in Soho, rooftops in Shoreditch and the Night Tube home
Candlelit cocktail bars, live bands in Camden, a free sky garden above the City. Londoners who fancy something casual are on Joydate, and joining is free.
- Free to join
- Only London on your profile
- Free ID check
In short
A hookup in London usually starts with a drink in Soho, Shoreditch or on the South Bank, then a late jazz set, a rooftop or a band in Camden. Joydate shows you which Londoners are up for something casual, and you can join free.
- Where to go: speakeasies and Ronnie Scott's in Soho, rooftops in Shoreditch, live blues in Camden, river views on the South Bank.
- Getting home: the Night Tube runs on six lines on Friday and Saturday nights, and night buses run around the clock.
- A free date idea: the Sky Garden costs nothing to visit if you book a slot.
- Cost: a Classic profile is free with a few messages a day; VIP, for unlimited messaging, starts at £14.99 a week.
London's official visitor site, Visit London, describes Soho coming alive at night under its neon, Shoreditch and Hoxton mixing old East End pubs with cocktail bars, and Camden putting on live music every night of the week. That is a lot of city to cover on your own. Whether you are after a London hookup, casual encounters or simply a fun night out with a new face, Joydate shows you who nearby is keen. Your profile says London and nothing more precise, and the two of you choose where to meet.
Soho, Shoreditch or a riverside rooftop?
The choice usually comes down to mood. Soho suits a first drink in a small, dimly lit bar where you can actually hear each other, Shoreditch has the rooftops with blankets and fire pits, and the South Bank gives you the river and the skyline for free. Camden and Brixton are for nights that end in live music. Opening days vary a lot, especially for rooftops, so check the bar's own page before you suggest it.
Know before you go out
Why London works for a casual night out
Four things that make a London evening easy to plan.
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Trains through the night
TfL runs the Night Tube on the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria and Windrush lines on Friday and Saturday nights, at off-peak fares.
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Rooftops in every corner
Visit London's rooftop list runs from Shoreditch and the Strand to Waterloo and Brixton, many with heaters, blankets or a roof that closes when it rains.
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Music most nights
Ronnie Scott's has hosted jazz in Soho since 1959, and Camden's pubs and venues put on live bands every night of the week.
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A view that costs nothing
Entry to the Sky Garden is free; slots open up to three weeks ahead and walk-ins are not taken after 5pm on weekdays.
London at a glance
Good to know before your first meet in London
- 6Night Tube lines on Friday and Saturday nights
- Freeentry to the Sky Garden, if you book a slot
- 1959the year Ronnie Scott's opened its jazz club in Soho
Where London goes out
Where to meet for a first drink in London
Six areas and the places that London's official visitor guide picks out in each.
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Jazz and speakeasies
Soho
Small, buzzy and central, with pubs so full that people drink on the pavement.
Places to start
- Ronnie Scott's: a famous jazz club on Frith Street; book an evening show and settle in
- Swift Soho and Disrepute: dim lighting, plush interiors and serious mixologists, worth dressing up for
- Cahoots: a speakeasy styled like an old Tube station, with live entertainment
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Rooftops
Shoreditch and Hoxton
East End pubs, cocktail bars and rooftops within a few streets of each other.
Places to start
- Nightjar: a Prohibition-style speakeasy with live swing, jazz and blues every night
- Queen of Hoxton: a rooftop with a new theme each season, open Wednesday to Saturday when the weather allows
- The Culpeper: a rooftop and greenhouse on Commercial Street, with fire pits and blankets when it is cold
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Views
Covent Garden and the Strand
History and height: an old pub on a narrow lane and a rooftop ten floors up.
Places to start
- Lamb & Flag: a pub has stood on Rose Street since at least 1772, with jazz on the last Sunday of the month
- Radio Rooftop: on the tenth floor of ME London, with DJs Thursday to Saturday and views to St Paul's
- The Rooftop at The Trafalgar St James: a hidden rooftop on Trafalgar Square with a retractable roof; book ahead in summer
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Riverside
South Bank
The river side of the evening, with terraces looking back across the Thames.
Places to start
- 12th Knot: a rooftop bar at Sea Containers with resident DJs at weekends
- Oxo Tower: an eighth-floor bar with a balcony view of St Paul's
- Circe's Rooftop: heated pods and DJs from Wednesday to Saturday on Waterloo Road
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Live music
Camden
Musicians, punks and a band on somewhere every night.
Places to start
- The Blues Kitchen: live blues, soul and funk until the early hours
- The Lock Tavern: a beer garden and a rooftop terrace
- The Hawley Arms: a fireside pub that Amy Winehouse used to frequent
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Gigs
Brixton
Bowie's birthplace, with big gigs and a rooftop over the market.
Places to start
- O2 Academy Brixton: the place for a live gig
- Pergola Brixton: a rooftop in Brixton Village with murals, plants and a retractable roof, Thursday to Saturday
Places from Visit London's area guides, its rooftop and cocktail bar lists and its date bar guide. Opening days change with the seasons, so confirm with each venue first.
Picture the night
Three London hookup nights, from a jazz club to a rooftop
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Soho
Jazz after dark
A small table, a live trio and a reason to sit close.
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Shoreditch
A rooftop at dusk
Festoon lights, a blanket on the bench and the City towers behind.
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Camden
Dancing to a live band
Blues and soul until late, for when talking can wait.
What Joydate is
How Joydate helps with a London hookup
Joydate is a casual dating site for grown-ups: a one-off, something regular or a friend with benefits. Signing up costs nothing, your profile says what you fancy, and you can see who across London is after the same.
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No mixed signals
Members put what they want on their profile, so a first drink in Soho starts with the basics already settled.
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London, not your postcode
Other members see your username and your city. Your address, your office and your surname stay private.
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A badge for real people
Members who pass the free ID check get a Verified badge, so you can see who has proved they are real.
Join free and see who in London is up for it How Joydate works in London
Before you go
First-meet tips for a London hookup
Four habits that make a first meet in London smoother.
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Plan your route home first
On a Friday or Saturday the Night Tube may take you most of the way; any other night, look up your night bus in the TfL Go app before you head out.
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Never hail a minicab
TfL says only black cabs with the orange light can be hailed; a minicab must be booked, and an unbooked one is illegal and uninsured.
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Pick somewhere you can talk
A Soho cocktail bar or a rooftop with seating beats a packed pub when you are meeting someone for the first time.
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Know the word Angela
In venues that take part, asking staff for Angela gets you discreet help to leave, find a friend or get a taxi.
Joydate membership prices in London
A Classic profile is free and comes with a few messages a day. For unlimited messaging, choose VIP or VIP Plus, shown here in pounds with the plan total first and the weekly cost underneath.
| Plan length | VIP | VIP Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week | £14.99 | £15.99 |
| 1 month | £29.96£6.99 a week | £34.24£7.99 a week |
| 3 months | £64.16£4.99 a week | £77.01£5.99 a week |
| 6 months | £102.60£3.99 a week | £128.31£4.99 a week |
| 12 months | £155.91£2.99 a week | £208.05£3.99 a week |
Everything from the weekly plan to the six-month one keeps renewing until you stop it, while the yearly plan is paid once and simply runs out. See every plan in every currency.
Meeting safely in London
- Somewhere busy first. Soho, the South Bank and a staffed rooftop all have people around, and your profile only ever says London. If anyone is in danger, call 999; for anything that is not an emergency, call the Met Police on 101.
- Getting home. TfL runs the Night Tube on six lines on Friday and Saturday nights and Night Overground on the same nights, and night buses run 24 hours a day. Book a licensed minicab or hail a black cab; TfL warns that unbooked minicabs are illegal and uninsured.
- If you feel unsafe. Ask bar staff for Angela in venues that are part of the scheme, run by the Met and the Mayor of London. If you think your drink has been spiked, tell staff or security, call 999 if you are in danger and report it quickly, because some drugs leave the body within 12 hours.
- Getting tested. The NHS says sexual health clinics are free and confidential for everyone. Londoners aged 16 and over can order a free home STI test kit from SHL.UK, sent in plain packaging, and 56 Dean Street in Soho runs a sexual health clinic you book through its own website.
- Spotting scams. The Met warns that romance fraudsters always find a reason not to meet and then ask for money. Never send any, and report it to Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040; call 159 to reach your bank if you have paid.
Questions about hookups and dating in London
Where can you find a hookup in London?
You can find a hookup in London on Joydate, a site built for casual encounters. Join free, see who nearby is in the mood for something casual, and when you click, suggest a drink in Soho, a rooftop in Shoreditch or a set at Ronnie Scott's.
What is a good first date bar in London?
A good first date bar in London is somewhere quiet enough to talk: Visit London picks Swift Soho and Disrepute for cocktails, Nightjar in Shoreditch for live jazz, and rooftops such as Radio Rooftop or 12th Knot for the view.
Is Joydate an alternative to personals in London?
Joydate works as an alternative to personals in London, but it is built around member profiles rather than a board of ads, and a free ID check gives real members a Verified badge. See how it compares with Doublelist.
How much does Joydate cost in London?
Joydate costs nothing to join in London, and the free Classic profile lets you send a few messages each day. Unlimited messaging comes with VIP: £14.99 for one week, falling to £2.99 a week if you take the yearly plan. See every plan.
Does the Tube run all night in London?
The Tube runs all night in London only on Friday and Saturday nights, on the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria and Windrush lines. On other nights, TfL's night buses keep running 24 hours a day.
Where can you get a free STI test in London?
A free STI test in London is available at any NHS sexual health clinic, or as a home kit from SHL.UK if you are 16 or over and live in a participating borough. The kit arrives in unmarked packaging and comes with a freepost return.