Oriole
Covent Garden, London
Bar in London, United Kingdom
Book with PearlThe Read
Expedition-Mapped Cocktails
Why go
Book Oriole for a cocktail-led Covent Garden night, especially as a date or small-group plan. Its bar-world recognition gives it more weight than a casual tourist-area stop, but food should be treated as secondary. If snacks and group flexibility matter more, compare it with Mr Fogg's Games Parlour instead.
About Oriole
Oriole is a London venue with a smart casual dress code and bar-world recognition. Top 500 Bars Best Bars placed Oriole at #92 in 2025, World's 50 Best Bars ranked it #17 in 2018. Specific claims about menu style, food offering, seating, pricing, hours, booking difficulty, or service format should be treated carefully.
Use Oriole as a London bar choice when recognition matters to the plan. If you are comparing different moods for the same evening, The Lamb & Flag, Covent Garden, Mr Foggs Tavern, Mr Fogg's Games Parlour, Road House, The Ivy Club are other named options to consider, depending on the kind of night you want.
Book it for bar recognition, not menu claims
The safest way to frame Oriole is simple: it is a London venue with smart casual dress and recognised bar rankings. Cuisine, dish, set menu, price point, or food-service details are not specified, so do not build a plan around an assumed meal offering.
If food, entertainment, or a particular format is central to the night, compare Oriole with other London dining and drinking options before committing. If the draw is a recognised bar name in London, Oriole has clear credentials.
The first-timer play: confirm practical details before you go
First-timers should confirm current booking, timing, service details directly before visiting. The dress code is smart casual, so plan the evening with that baseline in mind.
For a different style of London night, Road House, Mr Foggs Tavern, The Lamb & Flag, Covent Garden, Mr Fogg's Games Parlour, The Ivy Club are natural names to cross-shop. Keep the comparison practical: choose based on the current details each venue provides, not on assumptions about Oriole's menu, crowd, room, or format.
Use Oriole when bar recognition is the point. Use our full London bars guide if the brief is broader, or branch out through our full London restaurants guide and our full London hotels guide when building a whole trip.
Quick reference: Oriole is in London, the dress code is smart casual, its recognition includes Top 500 Bars Best Bars #92 in 2025 and World's 50 Best Bars #17 in 2018.
Planning details
- Location
- 7-9 Slingsby Pl, London WC2E 9AB
- Website
- oriolebar.com
- Phone
- +44 20 3457 8099
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Oriole presents itself as an enduring, critically recognised cocktail bar in the heart of Covent Garden. The copy stresses a coherent identity and a consistent programme that sustain the venue’s reputation beyond initial novelty. That longevity is quantified: a 4.7 Google rating from more than 1,100 reviews and a history on influential lists (No.32 in 2016 and No.17 in 2017–18 on the World's 50 Best Bars, and No.92 in the Top 500 Bars in 2025). Editorially it reads as an establishment defined by programme rigor and craft, the sort of place that keeps attracting repeat visits rather than fleeting attention.
Best For
Positioned where theatre and tourism meet, Oriole is especially well suited to evening outings tied to performances and special nights out. The description explicitly links the bar to theatre crowds and highlights sustained critical recognition and awards, which makes it an appealing choice for date nights, celebrations and group evenings that want a serious cocktail experience. Rather than a trendy one-off, Oriole rewards visitors who seek a dependable, high-quality drink programme before or after shows in Covent Garden.
Ordering Tips
The copy emphasises Oriole’s consistent programme and drink quality, so approach the menu expecting carefully constructed cocktails rather than gimmicks. Its history on international best-of lists and a strong review profile suggest the bar keeps standards high across visits; ordering from the curated cocktail selections lets the programme speak for itself. Because the venue’s reputation is built on repeat recognition, plan to treat the menu as a crafted, coherent offering and expect the bartenders and drink list to reflect that sustained focus on quality.
Venue details
Ambiance
Low-level ambient lighting with a lush, nature-inspired aesthetic featuring bamboo ceiling panels and tropical murals; intimate and opulent with a 1920s-30s speakeasy vibe that evokes a luxury cruise ship.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Format
At the Bar
- Bar Category
- Speakeasy
- Late Night
- Open Until 2am
- Music
- Live Jazz
- Live Music
- Yes
Signature Pours
- Baikasai
- Saraburi Punch
- Cities Of The Plain
Planning details
Location
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Also Consider
- The Lamb & Flag, Covent Garden, Notable alternative
- The Ivy Club, Notable alternative
- Road House, Notable alternative
- Mr Fogg's Games Parlour, Bar snacks, cocktails, draught beers, signature punches, Bar snacks, cocktails, draught beers, signature punches
- Mr Foggs Tavern, Notable alternative
Bar context
Against The Lamb & Flag, Covent Garden, Oriole is the more deliberate cocktail choice; The Lamb & Flag is better when the brief is a classic pub stop before or after theatre. Choose Oriole for a seated drinks plan with stronger bar credentials, choose the pub when value, speed, casual atmosphere matter more.
Mr Fogg's Games Parlour is the better cross-shop for groups because its offer includes bar snacks, cocktails, draught beers, signature punches. Mr Foggs Tavern also makes more sense for a louder, more flexible night. Oriole is the pick for a tighter cocktail-focused plan, not for grazing and drifting between rounds.
The Ivy Club is the comparison for a more controlled, clubby evening, while Road House suits a higher-energy crowd. Oriole sits in the middle as the stronger drinks-first recommendation, but it is also the one to plan furthest ahead for because booking is hard.
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Oriole guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Oriole
| Venue | Location | Cuisine | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oriole | London | ; | Top 500 Bars 2026 · #922018 World's 50 Best Bars · #172017 World's 50 Best Bars · #172016 World's 50 Best Bars · #32 |
| The Lamb & Flag, Covent Garden | London | No published awards | ; |
| The Ivy Club | London | No published awards | ; |
| Road House | London | 2009 World's 50 Best Bars · #34 | ; |
| Mr Fogg’s Games Parlour | London | Bar snacks, cocktails, draught beers, signature punches | No published awards |
| Mr Foggs Tavern | London | No published awards | ; |
How Oriole London compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a reservation at Oriole?
Confirm reservation requirements directly with Oriole before going. Oriole is in London, has a smart casual dress code, was ranked #92 in Top 500 Bars Best Bars in 2025.
Is Oriole good for a date?
It may suit a date if you are looking for a recognised London bar, but the room style, seating, noise level, or service format are not specified. For a different London option, Road House is another name to compare before choosing.
Is Oriole good for groups?
Check directly with Oriole for current booking and party-size details. If you are comparing London options, Mr Fogg's Games Parlour is another venue to consider for a different kind of night out.
Is the food good at Oriole?
Food details are not specified, so do not choose Oriole on the basis of a specific cuisine, dish, or meal format. If food is the main goal, compare it with other London dining options, including The Ivy Club.
What's the crowd like at Oriole?
The crowd profile is not specified. Oriole is in London, has a smart casual dress code, has recognised bar rankings, including Top 500 Bars Best Bars #92 in 2025. Mr Foggs Tavern is another London option to compare if you are weighing different atmospheres.
