The Institute Bar

You'll find yourself in the heart of Bloomsbury, climbing up to level four of the UCL Students' Union building where the Institute Bar sits like a well-kept secret. It's the kind of place where you can actually hear yourself talk, unlike most central London cocktail bars, though it gets properly lively once the sun sets and students pile in. The drinks are well-made without the pretension—think classic cocktails done right, not Instagram-bait nonsense—and the prices won't make you wince, which is frankly rare around here.