London offers no shortage of places to spend a night out, but few neighbourhoods capture the character of the city’s nightlife quite like Clapham. Known for its pop-culture influence and a fiercely loyal party crowd, the area has earned a long-standing reputation for nights that rarely finish when expected.
Along Clapham High Street and its surrounding lanes, a run of well-loved bars and clubs forms a natural route for drifting between venues as the evening unfolds. Music often leans into nostalgic favourites and feel-good anthems, setting the tone for nights that have a habit of stretching into the early hours.
This guide takes a closer look at some of the area’s best clubbing venues.
The Clapham Grand
Few venues embody Clapham’s theatrical streak quite like The Clapham Grand, a landmark that has presided over the High Street since 1900. Originally built as a Victorian music hall, the Grade II–listed building still retains much of its old-world grandeur, from its sweeping balconies to its ornate proscenium arch. Across its long history, the Grand has reinvented itself many times, serving as a cinema, a variety theatre and even a nightclub during the 1990s rave era, a testament to a space designed to evolve with the city around it.
Today, the 1,250-capacity venue operates as one of South London’s most versatile entertainment hubs. Its calendar spans live music, stand-up comedy, drag shows, club nights, film screenings and the much-loved singalong events that regularly sell out. It is one of the few spaces in the area able to easily move between theatre and nightlife, offering the intimacy of a performance venue with the atmosphere of a large-scale club, with many weekend events running until 3am.
Two Brewers
Two Brewers has been a defining part of London’s LGBTQIA+ nightlife since 1981 and remains one of the capital’s most recognisable drag cabaret venues. Rooted firmly in the community for more than four decades, it’s known for its glitter-filled shows, theatrical performances and late-night energy that makes a visit feel almost like a rite of passage.
The show bar and club host cabaret seven nights a week, offering a lively mix of humour, music and high-energy drag talent. Fridays and Saturdays mark the shift into full club mode, with doors open from 5pm until 4am. During Pride season, the venue becomes a focal point for celebration, drawing crowds for lip-sync battles, pub quizzes, karaoke that often evolves into full performances, and a dancefloor that rarely empties before the early hours.
Infernos
Infernos is Clapham’s cult-classic club and arguably one of the city’s most unapologetically high-energy nights out, delivering a night of disco and crowd-pleasers across its two famously carpeted floors. Running for over 20 years, visitors can expect euphoric sing-a-longs, throwback anthems and an equally enthusiastic crowd that continuously draws party-goers back for the simple promise of a good time.
The club also comes with a few signature touches, from the midnight balloon drop and podium dancing to its private karaoke rooms and booth seating for regrouping after hours spent on the dance floor. Tickets often begin from £10, whilst VIP packages add stage-side views and bottle service, without losing any of the energy that makes Infernos exactly what it is.
Venn Street Records
Just off Clapham Common, Venn Street Records has established itself as one of the area’s most reliable music bars. Its interior, lined with vinyl, vintage memorabilia and retro posters, creates an instantly nostalgic setting. As part of the wider Records group, including Northcote, Old St and Eastcheap Records, it maintains a consistent focus on live music and well-made cocktails.
The bar hosts live bands or DJs every evening, alongside a menu of classic cocktails with subtle twists. A daily happy hour from 5pm to 8pm, offering 2-for-1 drinks, keeps the space lively even on quieter weekdays. Recognisable from its neon sign, Venn Street Records has a more relaxed feel than some of its sleeker neighbours, which explains the loyalty of its regular crowd.
Soul Lounge
Soul Lounge acts as both a restaurant and late-night venue. By day, guests can opt for Pan-Asian and Mediterranean dishes or settle in for bottomless brunch; by 11pm, it shifts into a distinctive nightclub setting. Its soundtrack blends Afrobeats, Neo-Soul and 90s Hip Hop, attracting those looking for an alternative to the more mainstream playlists found elsewhere.
A warm, intimate layout and atmospheric lighting add to the venue’s appeal, while Wednesday ladies’ nights offer drink deals that keep midweek energy surprisingly high.
Tropix
Tropix brings a hint of tropical escapism to Clapham, with jungle-inspired décor, bold prints and vivid colours setting the scene on Clapham High Street. By day, it serves dishes influenced by tropical cuisine; by night, it becomes a relaxed club playing chart hits, occasional live bands and attracting a friendly, mixed crowd. Shows and parties blend Latin music with well-known favourites, creating what the venue calls its Exotica Jungle.
Regular promotions, including a Tuesday ladies’ night and daily happy hour, make it a reliable choice for casual meetups. Party-goers can expect a wide-ranging playlist, Reggaeton, Afrobeats, 90s and 00s hits, Bachata, Dembow, Club Classics and Tropical House all make an appearance.
The open-bar Club Tropicana Experience reworks its bottomless brunch concept into a late-night format, centred around cocktails, live DJ’s, shows and games. As events shift frequently, checking the website is recommended for the most current schedule.
Blame Gloria, Clapham Junction
Gloria’s first above-ground venue is unapologetically opulent, featuring lavish printed walls, an entire sequin-draped room and an 80s-inspired cocktail den complete with a private karaoke space.
Located in the heart of Clapham Junction, the bar offers a well-curated cocktail list and an atmosphere suited to private hires, birthdays, group bookings and corporate events. Visitors can make the most of its generous happy hour or opt for the karaoke room for an equally spirited night out.
Clapham has long held its reputation for nights that take on a life of their own and the mix of venues here proves exactly why. From the area's laid-back music bars and lively late-night spots, each place adds something different to the neighbourhood’s party path.
Regardless of whether you stay in one venue or drift between a few, Clapham still delivers the kind of night out that never quite goes to plan, in the best possible way.
