Novikov London: The Lounge Bar, Late Nights & How to Get In

Novikov is one of Mayfair's institutions, and after midnight, its downstairs Lounge Bar is one of the area's busiest late-night rooms. Here's how a Novikov night actually works, and how to extend it into a full club night a short walk away.

What Novikov Is

Opened in 2011 on Berkeley Street, Novikov runs two restaurants (the Asian room at street level, the Italian room below) alongside the Lounge Bar, the dark, glamorous downstairs space that carries the night. From Thursday to Saturday the Lounge runs DJs and a party crowd deep into the early hours, drawing exactly the set you'd expect at this end of Mayfair: international, dressed up, and in no hurry to go home.

It's the classic dinner-into-party venue: not quite a club, far more than a restaurant bar.

How to Get In

Reservations, made with the venue. The reliable routes:

Dinner upstairs, Lounge after: the smoothest path on busy nights; diners flow down naturally and the door treats you as already in.
A Lounge table booked directly: for going straight to the party portion.
Walk-in early: possible before the room fills; on weekend nights the door gets selective as it gets late, and a group without a booking is gambling.

Novikov handles its own bookings: we don't arrange them, and that's true of anyone claiming otherwise. Dress properly: the Lounge crowd is among the most dressed-up in Mayfair, and the same smart-leaning rules from our dress code guide apply: tailoring and proper shoes in, sportswear and casual trainers out.

When the Lounge Isn't Enough: The Nearby Clubs

The Lounge Bar is a party, but it isn't a nightclub: no big dancefloor, and it winds down before the clubs do. The clubs we book are a short walk from Berkeley Street:

London Reign: Piccadilly, a short walk: champagne shows, hip-hop, RnB and commercial. Tables from £800.
Maddox Club: Mill Street, minutes away: the intimate room, with the Green Room running until 6am.
Dear Darling: Jermyn Street, across Piccadilly: house upstairs, hip-hop downstairs. Tables from £800.
Scotch of St James: Mason's Yard, St James's: open-format until 5am. Tables from £1,000.

Funky Buddha and Luxx on Berkeley Street have closed, and Itzel (formerly Funky Buddha) now operates at their address; we book Itzel too, so ask us when you enquire. Tabu on Dover Street is now Rumour and Cuckoo Club on Swallow Street is now 99 Regent Street, and we book both.

Dinner or Lounge at Novikov until half-midnight, then a table a short walk away until 3am: it's an easy two-stop night, and we arrange the club half for free. Send your group size and date via a London nightclub booking and we'll confirm options within the hour.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Novikov a nightclub?

Not exactly: Novikov on Berkeley Street is two restaurants (Asian and Italian) above a downstairs Lounge Bar that runs DJs and a party atmosphere late into the night, especially Thursday to Saturday. It behaves like a club after midnight, but entry works on reservations and the door's discretion rather than tickets or a guestlist.

How do you get into the Novikov Lounge Bar?

Book with the venue: a table in the Lounge, or dinner upstairs followed by the Lounge afterwards, which is the smoothest route on busy nights. Walk-ins are possible early in the evening but the door tightens as the night fills. Novikov handles its own reservations; we don't book it ourselves.

What is the dress code at Novikov?

Smart and glamorous: Novikov's late-night crowd is one of Mayfair's most dressed-up. Tailoring, dresses and proper shoes are the standard; sportswear, shorts and casual trainers will feel wrong in the room and can be refused at the door.

What's the difference between Novikov and a Mayfair club night?

The Lounge Bar is seated-and-standing glamour around music: closer to a party bar than a dancefloor club, and it winds down earlier than the clubs. For a full club night with tables, shows and a 3 to 4am finish, the bookable clubs a short walk away are the next stop.

Which clubs near Novikov can you actually book?

London Reign on Piccadilly, Maddox Club on Mill Street, Dear Darling on Jermyn Street and Scotch of St James in Mason's Yard are all a short walk away. All take table bookings, and all but Scotch of St James (walk-in at the door, no guestlist) take guestlist bookings, which we arrange for free. Luxx and Funky Buddha, once on Berkeley Street itself, have closed.