Bingo in London has moved out of the halls and into bars, where a host runs the game as a show with music and prizes. Three names come up most in east and central London: Hijingo in Shoreditch, Dabbers in Hackney and the City, and the touring Bongo’s Bingo nights.
Hijingo, Shoreditch
Hijingo is at 90 Worship Street, EC2A 2BA, between Old Street and Liverpool Street. Shows run six rounds and last about 90 minutes, with tickets from £16 to £24 depending on the night. Bottomless brunch packages cost from £35 to £49. The venue is closed on Mondays.
Hijingo was set up by James Gordon and Adam Breedan, who told Made in Shoreditch how the idea started. It also runs themed nights, such as the 90s Bingo Download.
Dabbers Social Bingo, Hackney and the City
Dabbers has two London sites. Dabbers Hackney is at 270 Mare Street, E8 1HE, near Hackney Central, and opened in 2022 as the group’s second venue. Dabbers City is at 18-22 Houndsditch, EC3A 7DB, a short walk from Liverpool Street and Aldgate. Both serve food and drinks, and sessions are booked through the Dabbers website.
Dabbers also runs a family Bingo Show with doors at 3pm and the show from 4pm to 6pm, with kids-versus-parents rounds and mocktails, and a Bottomless Brunch Bingo at Dabbers City with two games of bingo.
Bongo’s Bingo
Bongo’s Bingo was started in Liverpool in April 2015 by Joshua Burke and Jonny Lacey, who hosts as Jonny Bongo, and mixes bingo with a rave. It now tours, with no fixed London venue. Its London dates in autumn 2026 include The Steel Yard at London Bridge, with shows listed from 16 October to 30 December, and the Clapham Grand on 17 and 24 October. A show at Freight in Brixton is listed for 30 October. Check the Bongo’s Bingo website for the current list.
How the games work
- UK bingo uses 90 numbers. Each ticket has 15 numbers across three rows, and players mark them off with a dabber pen as the host calls them.
- A game usually pays out for one line, then two lines, then a full house, when all 15 numbers on a ticket are marked.
- Prizes and house rules differ from venue to venue, so check the booking page before you go.
For other bars with games, see Made in Shoreditch’s guide to games bars in Shoreditch, which covers bowling, darts and table football as well as bingo, and the Shoreditch nightlife guide.