From happy hours and bottomless bunches to cut-price theatre tickets and free events, there are plenty of ways to enjoy a big day out in South Bank without stretching your wallet. Here's our round-up of all the best local Happy Hour deals and lunchtime specials to look out for in South Bank!
*Please note that offers are subject to change, be sure to check with your server before ordering that offers are still valid.
Looking for somewhere for afterwork drinks with your colleagues or a Happy Hour spot for that pre-theatre drink? There's a wide variety of bars offering great value weekday Happy Hours. Here's a look at the best:
HAPPY HOUR: Apéro Hour £5 glass of wine, £4.50 lager, £10 cocktails
WHEN: Mon–Fri 5pm–7pm
The South Bank home of classic French brasserie dining and cafe culture, Côte Brasserie at the Southbank Centre (located opposite the Mandela statue at the entrance to the Royal Festival Hall) is always a pre-concert winner. Ease yourself into the evening with an Apéro Hour glass of wine, beer or one of the classic Côte cocktails.
HAPPY HOUR: Pier Pressure Lager £5, two spritzes for £12
WHEN: Thu and Fri from 4pm–9pm
Kickstart the weekend at the huge Between the Bridges pop-up beer garden next to Jubilee Gardens and the London Eye, where every Thursday and Friday evening you can enjoy beers and spritzes at very competitive happy hour prices! There's plenty of seating inside and out, plus a tasty choice of food trucks, and from 7pm there are DJs on the decks playing a funky mix of house, RnB, garage, neo disco and old school classics.
HAPPY HOUR: £5 pints, 2 cocktails for £15, £20 bottles of prosecco, £18 bottles of wine, £3.95 bottles of beer
WHEN: Mon–Fri 4pm–6pm (until 7pm with a loyalty card)
The friendly bar at South Bank's very own comedy club Big Belly has one of the best value Happy Hour deals around with something for everyone - plus you can even extend your Happy Hour by an hour if you sign up for their (free) loyalty scheme. The small bar opens out onto a quiet backstreet behind the Sea Containers building and there's an on-site pizza van serving up great value wood-fired sourdough pizzas.
HAPPY HOUR: Wine Down Wednesdays – 50% off all bottles of wine
WHEN: Wed from 5pm to close
Situated on the 12th floor and looking right over the river to St Paul's Cathedral, come for the drinks, stay for the skyline! Their midweek Wine Down Happy Hour offer is a steal - perfect for those relaxed afterwork drinks with colleagues or friends.
HAPPY HOUR: 2-4-1 glass of prosecco or house wine
WHEN: daily from 4pm–6pm
Head upstairs at the BFI Riverfront to their deceptively spacious Balcony Bar that looks out over all the action happening below on the Queen's Walk. A great option for an al fresco drink before a film or to catch up with friends before heading out to an event at one of the many nearby cultural venues.
HAPPY HOUR: 2-4-1 Aperol Spritz
WHEN: Sun–Fri 3pm–5pm
Southbank Centre's sunny Italian restaurant and bar have brought back their popular spring-summer Aperol Happy Hour! Raise a glass to another fabulous day on the South Bank with a refreshing Italian spritz on the terrace. The perfect way to celebrate aperitivo hour.
HAPPY HOUR: 2-4-1 seasonal drinks
WHEN: Sun–Fri 5pm–7pm
A chic French brasserie and bar in the heart of South Bank’s cultural district. If you fancy a quick pre-dinner tipple, get two for the price of one across a range of different drinks, including wines, beers, seasonal cocktails and mocktails.
HAPPY HOUR: Classic cocktails £7.25, premium cocktails £9.25,
WHEN: Mon–Fri 4pm–6pm
One of South Bank's longest-running bars and restaurants, the Archduke and sister restaurant Black & Blue, are both located inside the atmospheric railway arches that run parallel to the Royal Festival Hall. A popular pre-concert destination, the Archduke is also a great spot for an after-work drink.
HAPPY HOUR: 2-4-1 cocktails
WHEN: daily 4pm–6pm and then 9pm until close
Serving a mouth-watering mix of Latin American, Indian, Spanish, Portuguese and African-influenced dishes, Las Iguanas is a colourful South American-themed restaurant at Royal Festival Hall. In the summer, their large terrace overlooking the river is a popular stop for evening sundowners and really fills up on those most balmy evenings so make sure to arrive early to secure a spot! Pro tip: Las Iguanas also has an app and you can score some great restaurant vouchers when you sign up for free.
HAPPY HOUR: £6 for a cocktail of the day
WHEN: Mon–Fri 5pm–7pm
Grab a seat at the friendly Italian bistro Locale on Belvedere Road behind County Hall, and indulge in a happy hour sundowner every Monday to Friday. The restaurant offers an extensive list of classic and house special cocktails (all of which have happy hour discounts on them), or for just £6 you can opt for their cocktail of the day.
HAPPY HOUR: 2 cocktails for £15
WHEN: Mon–Fri 4pm–8pm
Located just behind the National Theatre and the BFI, the Green Room is perfectly located for that pre-theatre drink and boasts a larger open-air garden terrace that surrounds an elegant timber-framed indoor dining room. Not just for summer, The Green Room gets a winter makeover complete with stretch tent covering, heaters and blankets. Head down on weekdays for their four-hour happy hour where you can enjoy a wide range of 2-4-1 cocktails.
HAPPY HOUR: Philly Happy Hour - Bottled beers £12 for 4, 50% off house wine, 2-4-1 on select cocktails
WHEN: Mon–Thu 5pm–6pm
Enjoy the relaxed vibe and frank and friendly service of this all-American Philly dive bar just off Leake Street. A popular venue for American expats to come and watch the biggest sports from the US, keeping things authentic, there's also the best of Philly regional cuisine on offer including all-you-can-eat wings on Wednesday for £20.
From fast-casual street food lunches to filling sit-down meals to keep you going through a long shift and great value lazy Sunday feasts – here's a look at South Bank's best lunch deals.
The Butcher's Menu £20 steak lunch
WHEN: Mon–Sat 12pm–6pm
Situated inside the Marriott County Hall Hotel with glorious views of Big Ben, the London Eye and all the activity on the river, Gillray's fine food is as remarkable as its surroundings. At lunchtimes, you can enjoy Gillray's refined steakhouse atmosphere for less with their excellent value Butcher's Menu. For £20 you get a steak, your choice of sauce, and sides including salad, chips and creamed spinach. For £5 you can upgrade from the bavette to a flat iron steak, or push the boat out with sirloin for £30.
Culture Curious discount: 20% off food and drink
Art Yard is the classy bar and restaurant at the art-focused boutique hotel Bankside near Blackfriars Bridge. Their fantastic 'Culture Curious' offer gives guests 20% off food and drink, provided they can show they have been using their day to be 'culture curious'. Simply show a ticket from your visit to any of South Bank or Bankside's galleries, theatres or other cultural landmarks to take advantage of the offer! Note you need to present your tickets before placing orders.
Don't Give a Shitake: 1/2 price dim sum and cocktails (Mon–Fri 3pm–6pm)
Lazy Sumday: All-you-can-eat Dim Sum for £29.95, kids under 12 £12.95 (all day Sunday)
Set over two floors at the Southbank Centre, this is one of the most popular branches of the dim sum restaurant brand Ping Pong. The menu lists dozens of different dim sum options with regular season specials and a buzzing cocktail bar further adds to the lively atmosphere. > Find out more
Wing Wednesdays: £15.95 for all-you-can-eat chicken wings
25% off food and drink for students (all day, every day).
The biggest bar in town, Brewdog Waterloo beneath Waterloo Station has a whopping 60 taps of draft beer, a micro-brewery, co-working spaces, a podcast recording studio, duckpin bowling lanes and even an actual slide! There are always great seasonal deals and specials that are worth looking for (such as kids eat free deals in the holidays), plus competitive always-on offers for students. Take note that to take advantage of most offers, you must book your table online in advance.
Understudy meal deals: £15 meal and a drink (Mon-Tue & Thu-Fri 12pm-4pm, all day Sunday)
The Understudy is the National Theatre's lively all-day bar known for its great craft beers, huge riverside terrace and tasty street food options courtesy of KERB's street food incubator. A great fast-casual lunch option, choose from Meltdown Cheeseburgers or Armenian street food by Sireli and your choice of drink (KERB lager, Nirvana Pils, soft drink or Hartridges juice/soda) for just £15.
Forza Weekday Special: £15 for a plate and house wine or soda (Mon–Fri 12pm–4pm)
The National Theatre's hip wine bar-restaurant Forza has a brilliant lunchtime offer that's perfect for those looking for something a bit different on a weekday. For £15 you can get a glass of one of Forza's house wines (or a craft soda) plus their weekly dish of the day. The kind of 'plates' you can expect include tasty dishes like chicken leg, ‘nduja, fregola and rocket.
Mama's Lunch Deal: main course £8, with soft drink £9, weekdays 12pm–4pm
Students & NHS staff receive a 20% discount all day, every day
Located just off the graffiti-clad arches of Leake Street, Mamuśka! serves up traditional, hearty and delicious Polish food, beer and vodka. The staff are super friendly, portions generous and the atmosphere perfectly unpretentious, making it a great stop for a quick lunch or the starting point for a big night out with friends. On weeknights, look out for a whole host of Happy Hour (4pm-6pm) offers including 3-4-2 vodka slushies and pints.
You don't need to spend a fortune to enjoy a great day out sightseeing in South Bank.
